Arms trade 'undermines efforts to relieve debt'

[DoYouEverWonder]

22 June 2005

The world's richest nations stand accused of double standards - exporting billions of pounds worth of arms to poor countries while discussing measures to lift them out of poverty.

In a joint report published today, pressure groups including Oxfam and Amnesty International say the G8 countries are compounding the problems in developing nations, including much of Africa, by allowing them to import costly arms and weapons.

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According to the report, Britain is the world's second biggest arms supplier with exports estimated at $4.3bn (£2.2bn) between 1996 and 2003, less than America's $15.18bn but more than other G8 nations such as France ($3.02bn), Russia ($2.62bn) and Germany ($1.08bn). The five countries are the world's biggest arms exporters, accounting for 84 per cent of the global trade.

<snip>

The United States is accused of providing military aid to states guilty of persistent human rights violations including Pakistan, Nepal and Israel, while France is alleged to have exported bombs, grenades, ammunition and mines and to countries subject to EU arms embargoes, such as Burma and Sudan.

http://news.independent.co.uk/world/politics/story.jsp?story=648722

[izzie]

1. Well why else are places like GD doing so well on their stocks?

Now I am sure we are selling off our 'old' subs to someone so we can build new better ones. I think it is so we will have some one to fight in subs now that USSR is done. The whole building of arms is going to take this country down to a third world country with nice fighter planes.

[ClintonTyree]

2. You have a choice....

reduction of debt for poor countries or record profits for the Carlyle Group. What sort of American ARE you, that you'd choose debt relief over the war profiteers bottom line? :shrug:

It's "hard work" balancing these two issues, and thank god we've got a man in the White House that is used to "hard work" and looking our for the rights of our beleaguered arms exporters.

:puke: Ugh, that was hard to say, even in jest.