Global Arms Sales Highest Since Cold War, with Saudi Arabia as a Top Buyer

Many people know that the United States is the world's top weapons exporter. The US exports 33%, Russia 23%, China 6.2%, France at 6%, and Germany at 5.6%. The United States sells expensive arms, missile systems, and surveillance and navigation technology. The stereotypical gun of Russia, the AK-47, can now be purchased through the US as they are now making American-made Russian Kalashnikovs.

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Who is buying up all of these weapons?

The largest importer of arms is India at 14%, with Saudi Arabia and second place at 7%, and China and the United Arab Emirates neck and neck with 4.7% and 4.6% respectively.

Arms imports in the Middle East have increased by 86% in five years up to 2016. Qatar, a small country in the Persian Gulf right beside Saudi Arabia and the U.A.E., has increased its purchases by 245%.

Riyadh, the capital and most populated city in Saudi Arabia, has increased its imports of weaponry by 212% compared to the five year period of 2007 to 2011. The next five-year period, between 2012 to 2016 saw an increase of 86% compared to the previous five years (2007-2011).

Saudi Arabia is an ally of the United States in their war on Syria, but Saudi Arabia also started its own war against Yemen last year. They need more weapons to go murder more people.

Pieter Wezeman, senior researcher with the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) Arms and Military Expenditure Program, said:

“Over the past five years, most states in the Middle East have turned primarily to the USA and Europe in their accelerated pursuit of advanced military capabilities"

Despite falling oil prices, countries in the Middle East ordered more weapons in 2016 as their prefered "tool" for dealing with conflicts.

The US and Russia alone account for over half of the worlds production and selling of weapons. Does anyone seriously think that we are headed towards more "peace" and "freedom"? Isn't this a sick joke?

That's how we going to resolve all the conflict in the world, by making more weapons and selling them to people who resort to a "might makes right" attitude for dealing with their neighbors. Makes sense right?

We can count on the US to keep doing its part to bring about "world peace", as half of the US arms exports went to the Middle East. The US applies arms to over 100 countries around the world, more than any other supplier. But arms aren't the only major export, as Dr. Aude Fleurant, director of the SIPRI, points out:

“Both advanced strike aircraft with cruise missiles and other precision-guided munitions and the latest generation air and missile defense systems account for a significant share of US arms exports.”

In 2015, Saudi Arabia's defense expenditures grew by 5.7% to $87.2 billion. Over the eight years of Obama's presidency, the US made $115 billion worth of sales to Saudi Arabia in 42 deals. This is estimated to be more sold to Saudi Arabia than any previous US administration in history. An investigative journalist, Gareth Porter, says the Pentagon, CIA and NSA have "very, very close relations with their counterparts in Saudi Arabia."

"These war powers in the US are very unwilling to have any US policy that would criticize, much less take away, support for the Saudi war so that these arrangements can continue."

So far Saudi Arabia's death toll from Yemen has gone over 10,000 people with almost 40,000 wounded, according to the UN.

The British government sold $4.1 billion of arms to Riyadh during the first 12 months of the Yemen war which started in March 2015. In November 2016, the government rejected calls from two parliamentary committees and human rights groups to stop selling arms to Saudi Arabia. So they continue to sell arms to Saudi Arabia.

The US and UK have provided direct military support and assistance to Saudi Arabia in at least 58 unlawful airstrikes, such as bombing a crowded funeral ceremony in Yemen's capital Sanaa, on October 8, 2016. At least 100 people were killed with more than 500 wounded, including children. Reports indicate that Saudi jets target schools, hospitals, marketplaces and other civilian buildings.

I mentioned in my post earlier today that "Saudi Arabia is one of the worst violators of human rights that laughably is on the UN Human Rights Council." This is a joke that this is how the UN is run. A pathetic joke. Yet, the UN is calling for an "international investigation" into these violations.

Allegedly "freedom" loving countries like the US and UK think freedom is made by promoting wars in the world, not only by creating wars themselves, but by making money selling weapons to others who start their own wars. Amazing logic. That's how you "fight for freedom". Take a lesson world.

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Thank you for your time and attention! I appreciate the knowledge reaching more people. Take care. Peace.

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References:

• Saudi arms imports triple amid Yemen campaign, US & Europe top suppliers to Mid East
• Global weapons sales highest since end of Cold War

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2017-02-20, 5pm