Wednesday, May 15, 2002
Susan V. Thompson, ed.
Subscribe at:
peace.moveon.org/bulletin.php3
CONTENTS
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1. Introduction
2. Call for Submissions
3. One Link: Background on the Arms Trade
4. The Small Arms Trade
5. The American Weapons Industry
6. Israel and the Arms Trade
7. Updates
8. Get Involved
9. About the Bulletin
INTRODUCTION
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Someone made and sold each bomb and every bullet. For weapons manufacturers, wars are a windfall; conflict increases the profit margin. The War on Terrorism is no different: large American companies have already landed multi-million dollar contracts from the US government, and defense industry stocks are on the rise. In a truly vicious circle, weapons manufacturers financially support the most hawkish elements of each administration, and the resulting conflicts increase sales, and the profits are used to fortify lobbying efforts.
Weapons manufacturers don't just sell their goods to their own countries, though. Profit is the key, and if there is money to be made by selling arms to a dictatorship, or a human rights abuser, or a rebel group, or even both sides of the same conflict, the ethical problems are usually put aside. The recipients of those weapons may also decide to sell them to others, spreading them even further afield. As the world's largest arms dealer, US industry sells about half of the world's weapons. "Made in the USA" can thus be found on arms the world over, even on the weapons used by many of America's enemies. That American soldiers are often killed with American guns apparently isn't a good enough argument to staunch the flow of deadly weaponry.
So while peace groups work towards disarmament, weapons industry lobbyists pressure the US government to buy more bombs. While the Bush administration calls on Israel to stop its occupation of the West Bank, Israel uses American-made tanks and helicopters to continue. And while people in the poorest countries die in bloody wars, people in the richest country in the world get richer by fanning their flames. This is the business of war, and at the moment, business is good.
CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS
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Weapons manufacturers provide a good argument for despair. But we believe that the millions of individuals around the world who are working for peace have potent reasons to be hopeful. We're collecting stories for next week's Bulletin, and we'd like to hear yours. Just send us a short essay (500 words or less, please). You may want to answer one or more of the following questions:
1) How did you originally become interested in peace work? What got you involved? What keeps you involved? 2) Write about a time that you or your group successfully applied the principles of non-violence to a conflict. 3) Who are the people or groups who inspire you to keep working for peace? 4) A large part of being an advocate for peace is talking to people about your opinions. Have you had a conversation with someone that was particularly hopeful or meaningful to you? Tell us about it.
Please try to keep your essays focused and positive in tone; creativity is encouraged. Send your entry along with your name and address to:
[email protected]
We need to receive your essay no later than this coming Sunday, May 19. We will let you know beforehand if we are including your work in next week's Bulletin.
ONE LINK: BACKGROUND ON THE ARMS TRADE
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What is the arms trade? How can it be curbed? What has been done to bring about disarmament so far? Learn the answers to these questions and more from this informative fact sheet.
www.oneworld.org/earthaction/en/archive/98-10-wt/background.html
THE SMALL ARMS TRADE
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The general public usually thinks of the move towards disarmament as focusing on nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction. But many groups are now focusing on the damage done by small arms, which are the weapon of choice in civil wars and enable huge numbers of civilian deaths every year. According to the Red Cross, small arms are the principal cause of death in conflicts, and their accessibility around the world is a very real problem.
This primer on the global threat created by small arms is an excellent introduction to the issue. It's in a clear and understandable question-and-answer format.
www.fas.org/asmp/campaigns/smallarms/primer.html
According to the UN: "Small arms and light weapons fuel civil wars and other conflicts, causing harm to millions of people, particularly in Africa. These small weapons are only part of a larger trade that includes heavier and more lethal weaponry, but light arms are often especially baneful because they are cheap, easy to transport and can be handled by ill-trained rebel soldiers and even children." This page provides a number of links and articles related to small arms and what the UN is doing to try to stop the illicit trade in these weapons.
www.globalpolicy.org/security/smallarms/salwindx.htm
In 2001, the International Action Network on Small Arms (IANSA) launched a global campaign to curb trafficking in small arms. This article explains the scope of the problem and describes the various initiatives meant to address it. Some interesting facts from the article are that the five permanent members of the UN Security Council (the United States, Britain, France, China and Russia) are responsible for approximately 85 percent of the global arms trade, and small arms have been the "primary choice of weaponry" in 47 of the 49 civil conflicts since 1990.
www.commondreams.org/headlines01/0109-01.htm
The United Nations has since adopted the first global agreement on curbing illicit sales of small weapons. The negotiations were greatly hindered by US opposition to any provisions that seemed to threaten the right of American citizens to carry such weapons, as well as any provisions which restricted selling small arms to "non-state actors," or rebel groups. As a result, the agreement has been adopted in a "diluted" form.
www.commondreams.org/headlines01/0723-02.htm
THE AMERICAN WEAPONS INDUSTRY
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This excellent backgrounder on the US arms industry provides a brief introduction followed by a wealth of quick facts with links for more information. Highly recommended if you'd like to get a sense of the key issues relating to the manufacture and sales of arms in both the US and the world.
fas.org/asmp/fast_facts.htm#WolrdMilitaryExpenditures
A 2000 report by the Congressional Research Service revealed that the United States is the world's leading arms merchant, followed by Russia, France, Germany, Britain, China, and Italy. The report found that the US is responsible for almost half the weapons sold around the world, and 70% of those are supplied to developing countries.
www.commondreams.org/views01/0821-02.htm
The war in the Balkans was very profitable for US arms manufacturers.
www.wsws.org/articles/1999/may1999/war-m22.shtml
The "war on terrorism" is also great news for weapons manufacturers such as Northrop Grumman, Raytheon, Boeing and Lockheed Martin. This article is composed of brief profiles of these companies, listing some of the specific weapons that they manufacture. The author also reports on the government connections that these companies are cultivating while their lobbyists pressure the US government for more money and new contracts.
www.commondreams.org/views01/1218-03.htm
Since Sept. 11, the US has increased arms sales to several countries in exchange for their support, including countries with a history of instability. In so doing, the US may be fostering new conflicts, and possibly even putting weapons into the hands of present and future enemies.
www.motherjones.com/web_exclusives/commentary/opinion/arms_sales.html
This article details the arms sales that have taken place since Sept. 11. A little dense but a good resource nonetheless.
www.fas.org/terrorism/at/index.html
How do US arms sales compare to those of the countries named in Bush's "axis of evil"? Find out in this jolting "rant" from the Guerrilla News Network.
www.guerrillanews.com/war_on_terrorism/doc312.html
This article from 2000 demonstrates how the major arms manufacturers cultivate political ties with both the Republican and Democratic parties, making massive campaign contributions (although Republican candidates are favored). The authors even explain why George W. Bush and Dick Cheney are the weapons industry's "dream team," a fact to keep in mind now that they are both in office and running a war that is potentially very profitable.
www.worldpolicy.org/projects/arms/reports/lockheedgop.htm
This chart compares defense industry contributions to Republican and Democratic political candidates in 2001-2002.
www.opensecrets.org/pacs/sector.asp?txt=D01&cycle=2002
The Carlyle Group is most likely profiting from the current "war on terrorism" through United Defense, one of the companies that it owns. Since the Bush family has close ties to the Carlyle Group, they profit as well.
www.guardian.co.uk/wtccrash/story/0,1300,583869,00.html
A US Arms Transfer Code of Conduct could possibly help limit the extent of US arms sales. This site provides links to background information on the move towards such a code, and updates on the process.
www.fas.org/asmp/campaigns/code/uscodecon.html
Some good news: Russia and the US have just agreed to nuclear arms cuts. This article includes a chart of the number of nuclear weapons owned by each country.
news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/world/americas/newsid_1984000/1984995.stm
Finally, if you have the time, you may want to read this comprehensive handbook on the US role in the global arms trade from the Federation of American Scientists. It's called "The Arms Trade Revealed" and it's intended for "investigators and activists."
www.fas.org/asmp/library/handbook/cover.html
ISRAEL AND THE ARMS TRADE
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Israel is one of the biggest buyers of US arms, many of which are purchased using the military aid supplied to Israel by the US government. While Britain has publicly objected to the use of British-supplied weapons in Israel's controversial military campaign against the Palestinians, the Bush administration has remained largely silent on the issue.
www.commondreams.org/headlines02/0323-05.htm
This fact sheet lists US contributions to Israel's military through weapons sales and grants and through military aid. It includes a chart that lists the American weapons currently in the Israeli arsenal, along with their manufacturer and cost.
www.worldpolicy.org/projects/arms/reports/israel050602.html
Robert Jensen argues compellingly for ending US aid and arms sales to Israel in order to help broker a lasting peace in the Middle East.
www.commondreams.org/views02/0409-07.htm
The arms that the US sells to Israel do not necessarily stay in that country. There is evidence that Israel routinely reverse-engineers American weapons technology and sells the results. These have made their way into the hands of countries such as China, Cambodia, and even Iraq -- on of Israel's greatest enemies.
www.commondreams.org/views02/0509-07.htm
Israeli Military Industry (IMI) is one of Israel's major arms manufacturers, and has supplied arms to a number of Arab states. This 1997 article illustrates the types of weapons that Israel produces (including Uzis, "environmentally-friendly" shells and bombs, and self-detonating cluster bombs,) and where they end up.
www.arabicnews.com/ansub/Daily/Day/971119/1997111918.html
UPDATES
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In last week's issue, we noted the US government's opposition to the new International Criminal Court (ICC). Apparently a US House committee has now authorized the President to use force to rescue any American held by the new International Criminal Court and to bar arms aid to nations that ratify the court treaty. This would basically mean that the US could attack the Netherlands if the ICC attempted to try an American citizen. Representative Tom DeLay, who sponsored the measure, called the ICC a "rogue court."
www.iht.com/articles/57496.html
Correction: In last week's bulletin, under the section on the Srebenica massacre, we reported that the entire Dutch parliament resigned. According to a representative of the Hague, this should have read that the entire Dutch government resigned.
GET INVOLVED
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ABOUT THE BULLETIN
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