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Dear President-elect Trump:
I understand that anti-gun activist David Petraeus is under consideration for the position of Secretary of State in your administration.
But I agree with Gun Owners of America that Patraeus would be a disastrous choice.
Although Petraeus seldom speaks publicly on domestic issues, he hates guns so much that he teamed up with anti-gun leader Mark Kelly and his wife, Gabrielle Giffords, to co-found the Veterans Coalition for Common Sense, an anti-gun organization devoted to “do[ing] more to prevent gun tragedies” by “urging lawmakers to toughen gun laws.”
Not surprisingly, the Leftist media is elated that a gun-hater like Petraeus might be awarded a top Cabinet post. This is true even though Patraeus, in November 2012, resigned as CIA Director and pleaded guilty to leaking classified information to a biographer with whom he was having an extramarital affair.
But Petraeus’ “Clinton-like” disregard for American security is the least of his problems.
As Secretary of State, Petraeus would play a key role in deciding whether to remove the U.S. from the UN Arms Trade Treaty (UN ATT). This agreement would mandate gun registration, and would authorize comprehensive gun bans — all goals supported by Patraeus’ colleagues Kelly and Giffords.
Petraeus would effectively decide whether to push for ratification of the anti-gun UN Small Arms Treaty.
Finally, Petraeus would have jurisdiction over the international trade (ITAR) regulations. Under Clinton/Kerry “guidance,” these regulations have been expanded to outlaw gunsmithing. In addition, a gun technician who communicates “how-to” information about guns on the Internet (without purchasing a $2,250 State Department license) could be prosecuted and imprisoned.
You can read GOA’s comments against these anti-gun State Department regulations here.
If anti-gun Petraeus is nominated and confirmed, we can expect these policies to be continued and expanded.
Sir, you were elected with the broad support of members of the Second Amendment community. We believe it would be a huge mistake to begin his transition by putting an anti-gun activist in a position whether he could regulate and ban guns.