The UN Arms Treaty and the U.S. Constitution

Times have changed. In ancient days, the poet Virgil began the Aeneid—his famous ode to national duty and military exploit—with the celebratory words, “I sing of arms.” In April, the UN overwhelmingly passed its first Treaty on Arms Trade, which focuses on the “victims of armed conflict” and has the stated aim of “reducing human suffering” caused by weapons. The treaty seeks to