No economic crisis for weapons sales

Jul 19, 2004

The Swedish Institute for Peace just published its report on yearly weapons sales throughout the world. In the last two years, weapons sales are up by almost 20 per cent. Almost one trillion dollars are spent each year now on this industry of death – more than 10 times the amount spent to help develop the poorest countries of the world.

Of course, the United States spends the most. Almost half of all weapons sold in the world are bought by the U.S. government and military. After September 11th, military sales exploded, to the great profit of the U.S. arms industry.

In addition to spending the most on weapons, the U.S. is also the country which sells the most weaponry. After the U.S. come Great Britain, France, Russia and China. These countries also are the five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council – in case anyone thought the U.N. might end this profitable trade any time soon.

Although the richer countries have only one in six of the earth's people, they account for three out of every four dollars spent for the military purchases. This amount represents $152 for every person on the planet, half a year's existence for about a billion people.

This enormous waste will continue so long as governments are controlled by the big financiers and industrialists and in particular the corporations of death like Boeing, Northrup Grumman and Lockheed Martin.