The Small Arms Trade: A Beginner's Guide

by Matthew Schroeder, Dan Smith, Rachel Stohl

Overview

Small Arms are responsible for over half a million deaths each year. Despite this terrifying statistic, millions of guns flow into the streets of the world each year. It is a multi-billion dollar industry, and one which is barely regulated.

From AK-47s to M16 rifles; from Terrorist-owned shoulder-fired missiles to child soldiers, this enlightening guide reveals the disturbing reality behind the murky underworld of international arms trading. Explaining how deals can often operate on the edge of legality, and listing the world’s main players, it goes on to ask how the exchange of small arms can be tightened in the future. Full of insight and anticipating the danger of ever lighter and more powerful weapons, this is required reading for anyone who wishes to understand the world today and one of the key threats to development, prosperity and international peace.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781780741796
Publisher:	Oneworld Publications
Publication date:	12/01/2012
Series:	Beginner's Guides
Sold by:	SIMON & SCHUSTER
Format:	eBook
Pages:	177
File size:	1 MB

About the Author

Rachel Stohl is Senior Analyst at the Center for Defense Information at the World Security Institute in Washington, DC.
Matt Schroeder is the Manager of the Arms Sales Monitoring Project at the Federation of American Scientists.
Colonel Dan Smith is the Senior Fellow on Military Affairs at the Friends Committee on National Legislation. He retired from the US army in 1992, highly decorated.

Table of Contents

Introduction     vi
Prologue     xiv
Symbol of violence, war and culture     1
Spreading weapons of individual destruction     11
Costs and consequences     22
Stemming the flow of small arms     38
Man-portable air defense systems - the terrorists' delight     59
Bleeding the soviets     68
The proliferation and control of MANPADS in the 1990s     86
The post-mombasa scramble     110
Epilogue: Future challenges of proliferation     129
Glossary     141
Websites     145
Notes     148
Index     171

Editorial Reviews

"As an introductory text, this book certainly makes an admirable effort, as it is engaging, accessible and almost exclusively empirical in its approach."

Journal of Peace Research

"The Beginner's Guide is a tremendous resource for all those who wish to learn about the pandemic of small arms violence."

Physicians for social responsibility Martin Butcher - Senior Advisory for policy and programs

"A Beginner's Guide is much too modest a title. This uniquely valuable book combines historical depth, contemporary insights, scholarly analysis and prudent advocacy to make it far more than a primer for the untutored."

Joe Smaldone - Former Chief

"To gain a perspective on the lower end of weapons technology, The Small Arms Trade makes for elucidating reading."

Defense Technology International

"Schroeder, Smith and Stohl have produced what will surely become an indispensable reference for any reader interested in the nature and consequences of the trade in small arms and the policies needed to effectively deal with the lethal consequences of such trade."

Mois