The Forum on the Arms Trade is a network of civil society experts and a point of contact for strengthening public efforts to address the humanitarian, economic and other implications of arms transfers, security assistance, and weapons use. The Forum provides a venue for bringing its community's wide-ranging expertise together to amplify and strengthen its work, while also offering government and media members a one-stop resource for the latest information, analysis, and best contacts. Forum-listed experts are located around the world and work on diverse topics including human rights, development, arms control, humanitarian disarmament, cybersecurity, arms and the environment, anti-corruption, and related fields.
Congressional Arms Trade MeasuresBipartisan National Security Powers Act introduced July 20 that includes provisions that "flip the script" to require Congressional approval on certain arms sales. On July 27, Rep. Ilhan Omar introduced the Stop Arming Human Rights Abusers Act.
During the 117th U.S. Congress session (2021-2022) members of the House and Senate have and will propose a range of legislation addressing the arms trade, security assistance, and military support. This resource page will be updated frequently. 
U.S. Landmine PolicyOn June 22, a bipartisan bicameral letter was sent to President Biden encouraging him to reverse Trump landmine policy and put "the United States on a definitive path to accede to the [Mine Ban] treaty."
On April 6, 2021, Department of Defense spokesperson Mike Howard stated that U.S. landmine policy remained unchanged and that antipersonnel landmines remain vital to the country. Follow up messages indicated that review was ongoing. See updated resource page for responses. 
U.S. Arms Sales to IsraelOn July 30, a new notification of a possible $3.4 billion foreign military sale was notified to Congress, including 18 heavy lift helicopters and other equipment. --
On May 5, the Biden administration notified Congress of a possible direct commercial sale of $735 million in precision-guided weapons to Israel, which became controversial as fighting in Israel intensified and the notification became more broadly public around May 17. Members of Congress introduced resolutions of disapproval. On May 21, the licenses were approved. On June 8, more than 120 organizations sent a letter to the President encouraging him to block delivery. See resource page. 
Experts PublicationsHighlighting publications in which Forum-listed experts were involved. Inclusion on the Forum on the Arms Trade expert list does not indicate agreement with or endorsement of the opinions of others.
Lauren Woods, "Taking Stock of U.S. Security Assistance Since the 9/11 Attacks," The Baraza, September 23, 2021.
Sarah Leah Whitson and John Hursh, "Biden's Middle East Policy is just sugar-coated business as usual," Responsible Statecraft, September 22, 2021.* Allison Pytlak, "The Narrative Must Change: Prospects for the 2021 UNGA First Committee," Humanitarian Disarmament, September 22, 2021 William Hartung, "It's time for the US to end its involvement in the deadly Yemen war," Inkstick, September 22, 2021. Annie Shiel, Elias Yousif, Lauren Woods, Rachel Stohl, Shannon Dick, Arianna Tolany (emerging expert), "Demystifying End-Use Monitoring in U.S. Arms Exports," Security Assistance Monitor, Center for Civilians in Conflict & Stimson Center, September 2021.* Diana Ohlbaum+, "Dismantling Racism and Militarism in U.S. Foreign Policy," FCNL Education Fund and Center for International Policy, September 2021. Erin Hunt+, "Canada's National Action Plan on Women, Peace, and Security: Moving towards Humanitarian Disarmament," Peace and Security Network - Canada, September 2021. Wanda Muñoz, "Ethics and Autonomous Weapons Systems," Human Security Network in Latin America and the Caribbean (SEHLAC), September 16, 2021 Yeshua Moser-Puangsuwan+, "Cluster Munition Monitor 2021," Cluster Munition Coalition, September 15, 2021. Andrew Feinstein+, "Britain's 'robust' arms export controls are a fiction," Declassified UK, September 14, 2021. A. Trevor Thrall and Jordan Cohen, "Guinea's Coup Is The Latest Example of Risks From U.S. Military Aid," Cato Institute, September 14, 2021. Katherine Aguirre and Robert Muggah, "The state of police violence in the Americas," Small Wars Journal, September 13, 2021. William Kullman+, "The Dynamics of Small Arms and Light Weapons Trafficking in the Caribbean Region" in Building Strategic Resilience: Managing Uncertainty in an Increasingly Complex World, Caribbean Journal of Strategic and Security Studies, October 30 (release pending), 2021. Ray Acheson+, CCW Report Vol. 9, No. 5, Reaching Critical Will, September 10, 2021. Ray Acheson, Bonnie Docherty, Natalie Goldring, Cindy Ebbs, Allison Pytlak, Doug Weir, Matthew Bolton+, "First Committee Briefing Book 2021," Reaching Critical Will, September 2021. Elias Yousif and Lauren Woods, "The Expanding Scope of U.S. Security Assistance Since 9/11," Security Assistance Monitor, September 2021. William Hartung, "Profits of War: Corporate Beneficiaries of the Post-9/11 Pentagon Spending Surge," Costs of War Project, September 13, 2021. Stephen Miles, "How presidents used the 2001 AUMF to justify wars unrelated to 9/11," Responsible Statecraft, September 9, 2021. Jodi Vittori, "Corruption and Self-Dealing in Afghanistan and Other U.S.-Backed Security Sectors," Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, September 9, 2021. Allison Pytlak, "Editorial: The fuel that perpetuates conflict," ATT Monitor Vol. 14 No. 4, Reaching Critical Will, September 8, 2021 Mark Bromley+, "Implementing the 2021 Recast of the EU Dual-use Regulation: Challenges and Opportunities," SIPRI, September 2021. Elias Yousif, "Issue Brief: The Arms Left Behind in Afghanistan," Security Assistance Monitor, September 2021. Jeff Abramson, "Lawsuit Targets Arms Flows to Mexico" & "Other Lawsuits on U.S. Arms Transfers," Arms Control Today, September 2021. Thompson Chengeta, "Ethics and Autonomous Weapon Systems," in Proceedings of the Bruges Colloquium, New Technologies on the Battlefield: Friend or Foe? 12-16 October 2020, ICRC, published September 2021. Alexandra Kuimova+, "Transfers of major arms to Afghanistan between 2001 and 2020," SIPRI, September 3, 2021. Eugenio Weigend Vargas+, "A New Lawsuit Illustrates the Problem of U.S. Guns in Mexico," Center for American Progress, September 2, 2021. Shannon Dick, Nicholas Marsh, and Rachel Stohl+, "ATT Monitor Report 2021," Control Arms, August 2021. Roy Isbister+, "Domestic accountability for international arms transfers: Law, policy and practice," 8th report, ATT Expert Group, August 2021. Erica Mumford+, "Arms Trade Treaty Issue Brief 3: Diversion Analysis Framework," UNIDIR, Conflict Armament Research, Stimson Center, August 31, 2021. Wanda Muñoz, "It Is About More Than Autonomous Weapons Systems," Disarmament Dialogue, August 30, 2021. William Hartung and Elias Yousif, "US trained Khashoggi's killers. A review of all military training programs is necessary" CNN, August 30, 2021. William Hartung, "Afghanistan Is Just the Latest Case of U.S. Arms Ending Up With U.S. Adversaries," Forbes, August 27, 2021. Allison Pyltak and Jillian Rafferty, "UN Human Rights Council adopts resolution on international arms transfers," ATT Monitor Vol. 14 No. 4, August 27, 2021. Allison Pytlak, "Editorial: A world on fire," ATT Monitor Vol. 14 No. 4, August 27, 2021. Carlos A. Pérez Ricart, "¿Movimiento audaz de la Cancillería?" sinembargo, August 24, 2021. View the full list of recent and past publications featuring Forum on the Arms Trade-listed experts.
|
Sept. 21- Learning From The Afghanistan Experience: Re-Assessing U.S. Weapon and Security Assistance Join the Forum on the Arms Trade and Security Assistance Monitor for a conversation examining failures in security assistance in Afghanistan and the potential consequences of weapons lost there, as well as lessons that should be applied to existing security assistance efforts in the Middle East and elsewhere, especially those riddled by corruption. See video guide.
Find experts who speak...Latest "This Week in Arms Trade Publications"
Click image above for the latest collection of publications by Forum-listed experts, and other updates on arms trade, security assistance and weapons use. Sign up to receive directly via email and check archived editions here.
Conventional Arms Transfer PolicyThe Biden administration is revising U.S. conventional arms transfer (CAT) policy, with media reporting a possible release in September and greater emphasis on human rights. This new resource includes past policies, general policy recommendations from Forum-listed experts, and other relevant material. It will be updated as information about the new CAT policy becomes available.
Notification TrackerRecent FMS notifications: September 16 - Saudi Arabia $500 million for maintenance support (helicopters) August 25 - South Korea $258 million for thousands of precision guided munitions; Australia $350 million for services for future standard missiles August 4 - Taiwan $750 million for forty (40) medium self-propelled Howitzers; Japan $134 million for Aegis support and $61.5 million for forty-four (44) RAM missiles August 3 - Greece $270 million for F-16 sustainment; Georgia $30 million for eighty-two (82) Javelin missiles August 2 - India $82 million for Harpoon test set July 30 - Israel $3.4 billion for 18 heavy lift helicopters and other equipment; Thailand - $83.5 million for 300 Javelin missiles; July 1 - Kuwait $445 million for heavy tactical vehicles June 24 - Philippines $2.430 billion for twelve (12) F-16s; $120 million for Harpoon missiles; $42.4 million for Sidewinder missiles June 3 - Australia $3.5 billion for AH-64E Apache Helicopters and related equipment May 24 - Spain $110 million for MQ-9A (Reaper) support May 19 - Greece $165 million for supply and support services for air forces May 10 - Canada $1.7 billion for four (4) Shipsets of the AEGIS Combat System April 30 - India $2.420 billion for six (6) P-8I Patrol aircraft Annual total for 2021 is now more than $23 billion. --- In 2020, the annual global total of nearly $135 billion in these notifications was the highest amount this century (2000-2020) see resource
Meet the Emerging ExpertsEmerging experts have expressed an interest in addressing the humanitarian, economic and other implications of arms transfers, security assistance, and weapons use...and are at an early stage in their career. Our latest cohort was announced June 15. Meet them here.
Resource Page - Int'l Trade of Firearms & Ammunition: Move to Commerce ControlControversial changes that move export oversight on select firearms, including some assault weapons and sniper rifles, to the Commerce Department went into effect in March 2020..See resource page for concerns expressed and more information.
|
Experts
in cooperation with our partner organizations and projects:
|
|
|
The Forum is based at the Arms Control Association. Partners are not responsible for the work of the Forum nor does
partnership indicate agreement with or endorsement of the opinions of other partners, listed experts, or resources produced by the Forum.
partnership indicate agreement with or endorsement of the opinions of other partners, listed experts, or resources produced by the Forum.