US foreign military sales already a record 50 billion dollars, up 70% from 2011

Saturday, June 16th 2012 - 05:54 UTC

Full article 3 comments

US Assistant Secretary of State for Political and Military Affairs Andrew Shapiro said that 2012 is already a record-breaking year for US foreign military sales, which are government-to-government sales. Read full article

Comments

Disclaimer & comment rules

Condorito
Brazil getting ready to flex some muscle.
How big is the “Blue Amazon”?
Does it stretch all the way to the coast of Africa?
Jun 16th, 2012 - 01:58 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
-+
AmericanLight
While Argentina will defend its lands ( and try to claim other lands that doesn't belong to them as their ie Antarctica ) utilizing boleadoras and slingshots....maybe they will unleash their terrifying special forces piqueteros/villeros....
Jun 17th, 2012 - 12:49 am - Link - Report abuse 0
-+
JohnN
Ironic that a photo on website of Bureau of Political-Military Affairs is of UN African peace-keepers marching with AK-47s - not exactly boosting business for US arms exporters?

More importantly, the notion of profiting from arm sales to US “allies and partners” seems rather sketchy, given that so many of those “allies and partners” have been implicated in human rights abuses, where US arms might be involved. However, issue of Russian weapons in Syria - in the face of UN arms embargos - does suggest that if the US isn't into the weapons trade, others are ready to expand that have less regard for any international sanctions on illegal weapons trade - often paid for by blood diamonds in the case of recently-incarcerated Charles Taylor and his Russian weapons dealer/transporter Viktor Bout (aka Merchant of Death).

Nevertheless, Russia is #2 arms exporter to the world and they have their own huge problems with their weapons going to purchasers with poor human rights records - not to mention the record of Russia itself within its own territory such as the Caucasus.

References:
Bureau of Political-Military Affairs: http://www.state.gov/t/pm/

Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, 2012 Yearbook Summary:
http://www.state.gov/t/pm/

Liberians Welcome Charles Taylor's Gun Runner, Victor Bout 25 Years Sentence:
http://www.state.gov/t/pm/
Jun 17th, 2012 - 02:39 am - Link - Report abuse 0
-+

Commenting for this story is now closed.
If you have a Facebook account, become a fan and comment on our Facebook Page!