U.S. Presidential Election 2016 - Candidate Positions
Arms Trade Treaty | Mine Ban Treaty | Security Assistance - Middle East | Security Assistance - Latin America | Drones
Given the central role of the United States, the U.S. presidential election in November promises to have a significant impact on all the issues tracked by the Forum on the Arms Trade. To serve as a resource, the positions of the Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump are outlined and analyzed here on selected topics. Until the election occurs, this effort will be a work in progress, and we welcome feedback and additional information on candidates positions, which can be sent to [email protected]. (See also "Methodology" at the end of this page.) Assessments here are not endorsed by Forum experts nor the candidates.
Arms Trade Treaty
The Arms Trade Treaty is the first global accord to regulate nearly all conventional weapons, requiring states to consider multiple criteria in making arms transfer decisions. It entered into force on December 24, 2014, and today has 89 states parties and 44 signatories. The United States signed the treaty on September 25, 2013, but has not ratified it. Although states parties avoided discussing controversial arms sales at their most recent annual meeting in September, the treaty holds out the promise of being a means to promote more responsible arms trade.
Although no official recent statements have been found from either candidate, Clinton is expected to support the Arms Trade Treaty while Trump is expected to oppose it.
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Mine Ban Treaty
The Mine Ban Treaty is an agreement to bar the use of victim-activated antipersonnel landmines, as well to destroy stockpiles of the weapons, to clear contaminated land, and to take other steps in support of mine free world. There are 162 states parties to the Treaty, which entered into force in 1999. The fewer that three dozen countries not party to the treaty include the United States, China, and Russia, but U.S. policy is to eventually accede to it.
Clinton has expressed support for the United States joining the Mine Ban Treaty. No statement have been found by Trump on the topic, but he is not expected to support the treaty.
Click here for fuller analysis and quotes.
Security Assistance - Middle East
A large volume of weapons flows into the Middle East and North Africa, with both the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia making SIPRI's list of top five importers of major weapons and the United States committed to Israel having a qualitative military edge over other countries in the region. In light of the rise of the Islamic State (ISIS), the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Syria under the Assad regime and Russia's intervention, upheaval in Yemen and U.S. support to the Saudi-led coalition, suppression of freedoms in Eqypt, instability in Libya, and other regional crises, many global arms suppliers are grappling with the appropriateness of military assistance, in the form of weapons and training, as well as direct military action in the region. These issues beget the questions of to what degree and how the United States should assist in resolving conflicts in the area.
Both candidates are expected to support security assistance to some countries in the Middle East as well as some use of U.S. military forces there. Clinton has generally expressed a desire not to put U.S. "boots on the ground" in the region. Trump has expressed some willingness to work with Russia, but it is difficult to assess how and to whom he might provide weapons and training, or where he'd directly use U.S. military airpower or other military force.
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Security Assistance - Latin America
The interwoven drug and arms trade across international borders, especially the U.S. border, remains an endemic issue in the region. For many countries in Latin America and the Caribbean, small arms violence contributes to human rights abuses and poor human security. The recent Nobel Peace Prize to the President of Colombia, and nationally defeated peace referendum, thrusts the region again into the spotlight. Colombia currently receives the largest amount of U.S. military and police assistance in the Latin American and Caribbean region, according to Security Assistance Monitor research. The Americas account for 9.6% of imports of major conventional weapons worldwide between 2011 - 2015, according to SIPRI's latest research, with the United States, Venezuela and Brazil the top three weapons importers respectively.
Hillary Clinton is expected to support security assistance to the region, having said that she supports a "Plan Colombia" approach to Latin America. Donald Trump is expected to favor reduced security assistance based on his comments that security assistance is, on a general level, expensive for the United States.
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Drones
Whether armed or unarmed, an ongoing debate exists on when unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), also known as drones, should be employed and how their trade and development should move forward. Particularly controversial has been a general lack of transparency in drone use and policy, including in areas outside of active hostilities. Some steps have been taken on these topics, however, with the July 2016 release of an Executive Order on pre- and post-strike measures to address civilian casualties as well as a short report on strikes and casualties from 2009 to 2015. In August 2016, a drone 'playbook' became public following an American Civil Liberties Union lawsuit. The United States led the creation of a joint declaration on drone export and use signed by nearly four dozen countries on October 5. In February 2015, the United States also provided some transparency on how it approaches the transfer of military drones. (Note: research here draws heavily from a study by the Centre for the Study of the Drone at Bard College.)
Both candidates have indicated support for using armed drones, especially targeting terrorist threats. Clinton has explicitly mentioned attacking terrorist leaders, while Trump has generally been less specific regarding targets. No statements have been identified thus far on the transfer of armed drones nor promoting transparency in their use.
Click here for fuller analysis and quotes.
The Arms Trade Treaty is the first global accord to regulate nearly all conventional weapons, requiring states to consider multiple criteria in making arms transfer decisions. It entered into force on December 24, 2014, and today has 89 states parties and 44 signatories. The United States signed the treaty on September 25, 2013, but has not ratified it. Although states parties avoided discussing controversial arms sales at their most recent annual meeting in September, the treaty holds out the promise of being a means to promote more responsible arms trade.
Although no official recent statements have been found from either candidate, Clinton is expected to support the Arms Trade Treaty while Trump is expected to oppose it.
Click here for fuller analysis and quotes.
Mine Ban Treaty
The Mine Ban Treaty is an agreement to bar the use of victim-activated antipersonnel landmines, as well to destroy stockpiles of the weapons, to clear contaminated land, and to take other steps in support of mine free world. There are 162 states parties to the Treaty, which entered into force in 1999. The fewer that three dozen countries not party to the treaty include the United States, China, and Russia, but U.S. policy is to eventually accede to it.
Clinton has expressed support for the United States joining the Mine Ban Treaty. No statement have been found by Trump on the topic, but he is not expected to support the treaty.
Click here for fuller analysis and quotes.
Security Assistance - Middle East
A large volume of weapons flows into the Middle East and North Africa, with both the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia making SIPRI's list of top five importers of major weapons and the United States committed to Israel having a qualitative military edge over other countries in the region. In light of the rise of the Islamic State (ISIS), the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Syria under the Assad regime and Russia's intervention, upheaval in Yemen and U.S. support to the Saudi-led coalition, suppression of freedoms in Eqypt, instability in Libya, and other regional crises, many global arms suppliers are grappling with the appropriateness of military assistance, in the form of weapons and training, as well as direct military action in the region. These issues beget the questions of to what degree and how the United States should assist in resolving conflicts in the area.
Both candidates are expected to support security assistance to some countries in the Middle East as well as some use of U.S. military forces there. Clinton has generally expressed a desire not to put U.S. "boots on the ground" in the region. Trump has expressed some willingness to work with Russia, but it is difficult to assess how and to whom he might provide weapons and training, or where he'd directly use U.S. military airpower or other military force.
Click here for fuller analysis and quotes.
Security Assistance - Latin America
The interwoven drug and arms trade across international borders, especially the U.S. border, remains an endemic issue in the region. For many countries in Latin America and the Caribbean, small arms violence contributes to human rights abuses and poor human security. The recent Nobel Peace Prize to the President of Colombia, and nationally defeated peace referendum, thrusts the region again into the spotlight. Colombia currently receives the largest amount of U.S. military and police assistance in the Latin American and Caribbean region, according to Security Assistance Monitor research. The Americas account for 9.6% of imports of major conventional weapons worldwide between 2011 - 2015, according to SIPRI's latest research, with the United States, Venezuela and Brazil the top three weapons importers respectively.
Hillary Clinton is expected to support security assistance to the region, having said that she supports a "Plan Colombia" approach to Latin America. Donald Trump is expected to favor reduced security assistance based on his comments that security assistance is, on a general level, expensive for the United States.
Click here for fuller analysis and quotes.
Drones
Whether armed or unarmed, an ongoing debate exists on when unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), also known as drones, should be employed and how their trade and development should move forward. Particularly controversial has been a general lack of transparency in drone use and policy, including in areas outside of active hostilities. Some steps have been taken on these topics, however, with the July 2016 release of an Executive Order on pre- and post-strike measures to address civilian casualties as well as a short report on strikes and casualties from 2009 to 2015. In August 2016, a drone 'playbook' became public following an American Civil Liberties Union lawsuit. The United States led the creation of a joint declaration on drone export and use signed by nearly four dozen countries on October 5. In February 2015, the United States also provided some transparency on how it approaches the transfer of military drones. (Note: research here draws heavily from a study by the Centre for the Study of the Drone at Bard College.)
Both candidates have indicated support for using armed drones, especially targeting terrorist threats. Clinton has explicitly mentioned attacking terrorist leaders, while Trump has generally been less specific regarding targets. No statements have been identified thus far on the transfer of armed drones nor promoting transparency in their use.
Click here for fuller analysis and quotes.
METHODOLOGY
Presidential candidates have not made explicit statements about many of the topics tracked by the Forum on the Arms Trade. In describing the positions of candidates, great effort is placed in directly linking to relevant statements, official positions as described on candidates' websites, past votes (where relevant), and other documented sources so that readers may reference those directly. Additional analysis is also provided, often indicated by the word "expected." This resource will be continually updated until the election. We welcome feedback and other information from those who use this resource (please contact us via email).
Jeff Abramson manages the project with research assistance from Alicia Jensen, who together consult with Forum-listed experts.(Nicholas Hitchens-Spellman aided in initial research.) Assessments here are not endorsed by other experts, the Forum on the Arms Trade, nor the candidates.
Presidential candidates have not made explicit statements about many of the topics tracked by the Forum on the Arms Trade. In describing the positions of candidates, great effort is placed in directly linking to relevant statements, official positions as described on candidates' websites, past votes (where relevant), and other documented sources so that readers may reference those directly. Additional analysis is also provided, often indicated by the word "expected." This resource will be continually updated until the election. We welcome feedback and other information from those who use this resource (please contact us via email).
Jeff Abramson manages the project with research assistance from Alicia Jensen, who together consult with Forum-listed experts.(Nicholas Hitchens-Spellman aided in initial research.) Assessments here are not endorsed by other experts, the Forum on the Arms Trade, nor the candidates.