The Conservatives and Liberal Democrats pledged to scrap control orders - introduced to monitor the movements and communications of suspected terrorists - and replace them with a suitable alternative.

BBC: Terrorism Prevention Bill part one

Even as one lot of American diplomats shot down the extension of the BWC, others were busy reiterating their country's determination to scrap the Anti-Ballistic Missile (ABM) treaty, a cornerstone of international arms-control for the past 30 years.

ECONOMIST: A running feud

Arguably that has happened already, thanks to its recision of gun control in Washington, DC and Chicago in 2008 and 2010, and to its decision in 2010 to scrap limits on corporate (and trade-union) donations to political-action groups.

ECONOMIST: Lexington