So long as Weapons Industry for profit exist, there will be no World Peace
All the lovely-dovey sentiments for peace just makes no sense if we are not realistic enough to accept some bare facts. In 1945 there was just one world conflict. Years later, 193 countries in the world & only 11 countries without a conflict and UN is custodian of world peace! Can conflicts exist without weapons? Truth is, conflicts will not go far without weapons! So we need to identify the key sustainer of conflicts as weapons and then move on to finding out who supplies these weapons. You cannot have the same countries supplying weapons preaching peace or claiming to help resolve conflicts. It just does not make any sense. When countries are actually selling weapons for profit it is hardly likely they would want to eliminate their source of income that gives it power globally. So we are in a real predicament where all sorts of peace campaigns are actually pulling wool across our eyes pretending to promote peace when we all know that so long as weapons industry for profit exist, there will be no world peace.
Source: Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) Pieter Wezeman, Senior Researcher
Spending on Arms
In 2018 – $1.8trillion was spent on arms globally. UN estimates ending world hunger each year would cost $30 billion
US spending $649billion. China’s arms expenditure was $67.6billion.
US accounts for 34% of all global arms sales – the highest since 1990.
Exporting Arms
US arms exports are 58% higher than Russia the world’s 2nd largest exporter.
During 2013-2017, US arms exports increased by 25% while Russia’s fell by 7.1%
US’s arms exports go mostly to Middle East with Saudi Arabia buying almost half of US arms exports during 2013-2017 period.
Yemen has been the unfortunate victim of the arms US sells to Saudi & allies that are bombing Yemen using these arms. Ironically UK’s high court ruled that UK’s arms sale to Saudi (that was bombing Yemen) was lawful.
During 2013-2017 China sold weapons to 48 countries with Pakistan being its top customer.
Ironically, the very countries that sit permanently on the UN Security Council are the world’s top arms exporters.
- USA
- Russia
- France
- Germany (not permanent member of UNSC)
- China
- UK
https://howmuch.net/articles/20-companies-with-the-highest-revenue-from-arms-sales
According to “Report on the Legal & Policy Frameworks Guiding the United States Military Force & Related National Security Operations’ US is officially fighting wars in 7 countries including Libya & Niger.
In 2013, US Special Operations Command (SOCOM) – one of 9 organizational units that make the Unified Combatant Command had special operations forces (SOFs) in 134 countries. There was a time when 187,900 troops were in Iraq (2008) & 100,000 US troops in Afghanistan (2010)
https://www.thenation.com/article/americas-secret-war-134-countries/
US drone war
President George Bush Jnr launched 51 drone strikes during his term
President Obama launched 330 (Bureau of Investigative Journalism London)
General Atomics (owns $4b), Northrop Grumman, Textron and Boeing account for 66 percent of the $9 billion market (Govini Research)
What is interesting is that 5 of the world’s 10 largest defense contractors are not American Govt entities but private American companies which account for 57% of total arms sales out of 100 defense contractors. The US govt declares war on countries and US private companies reap the profits and US congressmen even sit on these boards! Something is really not right here!
Companies manufacturing weapons
13 out of the top 20 companies are located in US and generate $178.5B annual sales. All 20 are from Western developed world. Which means a war zone in any part of the world is facilitated by these western arms manufacturing companies. Whether terrorists or insurgents buy the arms illegally, the arms are manufactured legally & made available to the illegal recipients.
Ironically enough, these Western countries have lovey dovey foreign policies, oozing compassion and human rights, pledges to uplift rule of law & democracy & commits to international institutions and spends quite a lot of time drafting global laws for peace!
The World’s Top 20 Largest Arms Producing Companies
- Lockheed Martin Corp., United States
Arms sales: $44.92 billion
- Boeing, United States
Arms sales: $26.9 billion
- Raytheon, United States
Arms sales: $23.8 billion
- BAE Systems, United Kingdom
Arms sales: $22.9 billion
- Northrop Grumman Corp, United States
Arms sales: $22.3 billion
- General Dynamics Corp., United States
Arms sales: $19.4 billion
- Airbus Group, Trans-European
Arms sales: $11.3 billion
- Thales, France
Arms sales: $9 billion
- Leonardo, Italy
Arms sales: $8.8 billion
- Almaz-Antey, Russia
Arms sales: $8.5 billion
- United Technologies Corp., United States
Arms sales: $7.7 billion
- L-3 Communications, United States
Arms sales: $7.7 billion
- Huntington Ingalls, United States
Arms sales: $6.4 billion
- United Aircraft Corp., Russia
Arms sales: $6.4 billion
- United Shipbuilding Corp., Russia
Arms sales: $4.9 billion
- Honeywell International, United States
Arms sales: $4.4 billion
- Rolls-Royce, United Kingdom
Arms sales: $4.4 billion
- Leidos, United States
Arms sales: $4.3 billion
- Naval Group, France
Arms sales: $4.1 billion
- Textron, United States
Arms sales: $4.1 billion
Defense contractors donate most to US politicians at elections because they want contracts that means conflicts to sell their weapons https://www.businessinsider.com/the-top-20-defense-companies-donating-the-most-cash-to-us-politicians-2017-11
How ethical is it for politicians to be sitting on boards of defense contractors https://www.businessinsider.com/politicians-at-public-companies-2012-6
Dick Cheney when he was Vice Presidential candidate was chairman and CEO of oil giant Halliburton while his wife Lynn Cheney was at Halliburton
According to MilitaryTimes in 2016, one in four U.S. personnel in Iraq and Afghanistan was a private contractor.
American security firm Blackwater (“Black Water”) founded in 1997 by former commando Eric Prince landed in Iraq in 2003 & in 2009 the company renamed itself Xe Services LLC and in 2010 the company again renamed itself as Academi.
Its associate company Blackwater Security Consulting, whose fighters took part in military operations in Afghanistan. Blackwater Maritime Solutions trains special forces of naval forces of many countries, for example, Afghanistan, Azerbaijan and Greece. It trained US sailors destroyer URO USS Cole, and provited protection for diplomats in Afghanistan, Israel, Iraq and Bosnia. The group trains 40,000 people to fight in armed conflicts around the world. 90 percent of the profits the firm receives from contracts with the US government.
According to Alex Kemeroff one mercenary from Academi costs the US state $ 1200 (for comparison: a soldier of the regular US army — only $150–190). Academi fighters have also been accused of illegal arms trafficking. https://medium.com/smartaim-tech/war-for-money-leading-private-military-companies-of-the-world-eab9f9fe2de8
Mainstream media & their ‘news’ is nothing but propaganda to shape public opinion in favor of those that benefit by war/conflicts because they too are indirect beneficiaries. Remember how Gaddafi, Saddam, Milosevica were all branded ‘dictators’ ahead of the US-NATO-UK interventions & UN chipped in alongside supposed to be neutral & unbiased human rights organizations to project a ‘humanitarian crisis’ needing foreign intervention.
War/conflicts is a dirty business. But even media profits from it. How many in the media would dare say the real terrorists are in white-collared suits & not those holding the guns!
Just as conflicts are a business, people are kept in constant fear of threats to their lives believing they should hand over their freedoms to the government when in reality the Govt is part of the problem as they have allowed the enemies to enter because it works well for them to emerge victor and again win the people’s confidence.
ISIS is a replay of Al Qaeda but people have forgotten or are made to forget that the creators of the first is the creator of its replacement! Media joins in the circus but rarely will ‘educate’ the people about this fact.
The mafia of beneficiaries are – corporations – military & government bureaucracy – the communication networks & the bogus peace doves. Each have a role though indirectly connected in some way or the other. Spreading fake news and false rumours has turned into an art programmed to upset even those aware of the facts!
We must not allow conflicts because the beneficiaries are not even the soldiers fighting the conflicts or those that are being taxed for it. War is good for their economy but not ours! Politicians continue to rule, private companies get the contracts, associate entities are indirect recipients and the poor tax payers have to fund all of the wars. U.S. wars in Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria and Pakistan have cost American taxpayers $5.9 trillion since they began in 2001. Politicians are not paying this money – ordinary Americans are.
Couldn’t this money have been put to better use? What exactly have America or Americans gained in 18 years for $5.9trillion?
Shenali D Waduge
