US share of global arms market exploding
This time last year, when I was poring over the figures for the shares of the global arms market held by each of the big exporters for my Re-engage book, I produced a little pie-chart showing how they had divided it up in the most recent year for which I had figures, which was 2005. The US's share of the international arms market that year was 45.6%.
I guess I should have read my 2008 edition of The Military Balance more carefully when it dropped on my doormat a couple of months ago.
It tells us that in 2006, the US's market share went up to 51.9%
Eric Lipton had a good article on this whole phenomenon in the NYT yesterday. He quotes Bill Hartung of the New America Foundation as saying, “Sure, this is a quick and easy way to cement alliances... But this is getting out of hand.”
He also quoted Representative Howard L. Berman of California, chairman of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, as saying that while he supported many of the individual weapons sales, still, the big sales blitz could also have some negative effects: “This could turn into a spiraling arms race that in the end could decrease stability."
Berman is quite right to be worried. Proliferation of even conventional weapons increases the motivation for other nations to compete in selling... And it also, certainly, increases the motivation for other nations to acquire weapons-- whether conventional or non-conventional-- to try to "counter" the effects of US-supplied weapons that their neighbors or local competitors have acquired.
Why does the US government pump weapons into the international scene in this obscene and mindless way? Why not convert all those weapons factories into places that produce something useful, like rail cars, wind turbines, bridge struts, or prefabricated housing? You'd still have lots of employment in them... It would help stimulate the productive parts of the US economy across the board... And we could export a lot of these products, and make some good revenue and some good friends by doing so.
Why does the US government pump weapons into the international scene in this obscene and mindless way? Why not convert all those weapons factories into places that produce something useful, like rail cars, wind turbines, bridge struts, or prefabricated housing?
Very simple answer who start the war who push for more weapon and more production more revenues on the cost of human tragedy caught in the war that they have no say in it.
Just to highlights recent development in Iraq in regards to weaponry caught during the invasion and occupation of Iraq and after.
We all saw pictures US destroying Iraqi missiles, tanks, Iraqi fighters and lots of small arms and ammunition for passed six years of occupation of Iraq. No one as far as I recall question this matter even this space, while US military and officials stating again and again that they building a new Iraqi army and police forces spending million if not billions to buy same eastern weaponry for the new forces some weaponry deals smears fraud and corruptions!!
Now its time for “End Game” as Robert Gate said, there is talk of a new weaponry deals between Iraqi Iran-proxy government and US valued 7.5 Billions of USD to supply Iraq with F16 may be F22 US fighters in addition to more arms and items.
Some report went further talking about new Iran-Contra saga as Iran-proxy government in power and Iranian military were build on US weaponry and technology in need severely to updated so the new deal like Iran will get weapons but Iraq will pay for it.
END OF GAME in Iraq Robert Gate.