What do Iran, Syria, North Korea and the NRA have in common? They are all on the losing side of trying to block the creation of a new Arms Trade Treaty. This landmark agreement has been in the making since 2006 and will be the first international treaty to regulate the conventional arms trade. The most powerful way the United Nations can agree to a treaty is by "consensus", where all nations agree to the text. But these three rouge nations blocked agreement. It was a sad sight to witness.

But fortunately, the treaty’s sponsors did the next best thing and brought it to the General Assembly where it was agreed to by an overwhelming majority: 154 to 3, with the U.S. voting in favor. A treaty is born!

The Arms Trade Treaty is a great step forward in dealing with the unregulated and illicit global trade in conventional weapons and ammunition, which fuels wars and human rights abuses worldwide

The United States played a positive role in negotiating the Treaty which is designed to help prevent the more than 500,000 deaths worldwide that happen as a result of armed violence. Firearms are used in armed conflicts and to carry out human rights violations, including genocide and gang rapes. More than 250,000 children have been forced into combat as under-aged child soldiers.

"Bringing that dark chapter into light helps clarify and sharpen what we mean when we say never again.  But despite all we have learned and accomplished in the last 70 years, never again remains an unmet, urgent goal."

Addressing a crowd of 200 onlookers at the US Holocaust Memorial Museum, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton discussed the legacy of the Holocaust at a forum entitled "Imagining the Unimaginable: Ending Genocide in the 21^st Century."  The pledge that never again should the world stand by while millions are killed in genocide was a central theme to her keynote speech.  To remember our history and learn from past mistakes is the best way to prevent and put an end to genocide in the 21^st Century.  Human nature did not dramatically change when the Holocaust ended, she noted, therefore, our history continues to show that putting an end to mass atrocities must still be a priority for the international community.

But how can the international community end genocide?  Clinton praised the new emphasis on prevention-worldwide education efforts and Foreign Service officers sent to at-risk countries are now being trained to watch for the warning signs.  Genocide does not just erupt and explode in a single moment; over time an environment is created where "hatred is not only acceptable, it is encouraged."  This "license to hate, turns into the license to kill," Clinton said.

Today, the International Criminal Court's (ICC) first trial was completed with the sentencing of Thomas Lubanga Dyilo to fourteen years in prison.  Lubanga, of the Democratic Republic of Congo, was found guilty by the Court in March of conscripting child soldiers for use in battle.

This first sentencing is certainly a landmark moment for the ICC.  It's good to see the Court complete a trial and ensure that a vicious warlord will be put away, though it's a bit disheartening to see the length of the sentence is shorter than what the ICC Prosecutor had recommended.  The prosecution had asked for Lubanga to serve 30 years for his crimes.  His sentence is further reduced because the six years he's been in custody will count toward his incarceration, so he will only serve an additional eight years (with the possibility of getting out even sooner due to good behavior).

With all that said, I'm still happy to see some measure of justice done in today's sentencing of Lubanga.  I'm proud to see the ICC reach this milestone moment, and I hope this sentence brings some measure of peace to Lubanga's victims and their families.  I look forward to a future in which the Court succeeds in putting many other war criminals behind bars where they belong.

Four staffers of the International Criminal Court (ICC) were detained in Libya over the weekend after meeting with Saif Gaddafi, son of the deposed dictator, who has been indicted by the Court.  An ICC team is currently working to secure their release.

ICC President Song has called for the release of the staffers, noting that "These four international civil servants have immunity when on an official ICC mission."

Australian ICC lawyer Melinda Taylor was found carrying documents for Gaddafi that were considered "suspicious" by the Libyan authorities. She and her fellow ICC staff were put under house arrest in the town of Zintan and have been ordered to be held in detention for 45 days.

This latest drama comes as the ICC and Libya remain engaged in a broader tug-of-war over where the younger Gaddafi should be tried.  The Libya situation was referred to the ICC last spring by the U.N. Security Council, and the ICC has issued an arrest warrant for Gaddafi.  The new Libyan government has expressed a strong desire to try Gaddafi in the country, but it is unclear that they have a sufficient judicial system set up to ensure a fair trial.

We will keep you updated as more news becomes available.