Introduction: Inconspicuous Disarmament
Small arms disarmament is reshaping the global distribution of firearms, light weapons and ammunition. It is far from comprehensive, but much more than cosmetic. Its importance has been widely recognized, but seldom evaluated. The case studies in this volume examine the politics of when surpluses actually get destroyed. When, they ask, is surplus destruction most likely? And what can be done to make destruction more likely? Perhaps the key characteristic shaping small arms disarmament is it has not been treaty-driven. Much of the trouble comparing small arms disarmament to better known programmes comes from the informal nature of these processes. The low visibility also is a side effect of the low visibility of small arms politics generally, typically the responsibility of mid-level officials, with high-level officials mostly playing ceremonial roles. But inconspicuous does not mean unimportant. Small arms and ammunition destruction directly affects prospects for future violence. By eliminating the weapons most likely to be used, it directly limits the dangers of violent crime and terrorism, and inhibits the descent into warfare.
The Samurai, the Mountie and the Cowboy: Should America Adopt the Gun Controls of Other Democracies?
Gun control remains one of the hottest topics on America's agenda. Increased violence, gang wars in metropolitan areas, and the prevalence of guns in the United States frequently bring this debate to new crescendos of public concern. How can we find answers that maintain safety while protecting individual liberty? "The Samurai, the Mountie, and the Cowboy" offers a compelling look at how other democracies have attempted to solve their own gun problems, and what we can learn from these countries.
Analysis: The Agenda 2007 Proposals: Evolution or Revolution?
On 10 February 2004 the Commission published its proposal for the financial perspective 2007-2013. A week later it adopted the third report on economic and social cohesion. These two documents form the basis of the so-called ‘Agenda 2007 reforms’. They will be the greatest challenge for the enlarged EU after the intergovernmental conference, since they will determine the financial basis for EU policy-making until the middle of the next decade. The Agenda 2007 proposals certainly hint at courageous reforms, because they place a previously unheard-of emphasis on performance and quality. Under the proposals, structural operations should generate value for money, and the funds should focus on projects which generate added value at a European level. Overall the Commission’s proposals point in the right direction, because they balance, on the one hand, solidarity for the new Member States and weak regions in the old Member States with, on the other hand, investments in future tasks. Moreover, they constitute a paradigm shift. For the first time, the Common Agricultural Policy will not be the dominant expenditure category. Now it is up to the Member States to examine the proposals politically and find a compromise between sometimes very divergent interests. It is to be hoped that, during the debate over expenditure limits and division of funds, national interests do not outweigh European interests.