The Arms Race

Close to $1 Trillion is spent yearly to maintain militaries worldwide -this is the single largest form of public spending -The US sales of weapons makes up 50% of total worldwide sales -Developing countries spend ~$25 billion a year on weapons -Developing countries account for ~70% of US arms sales -Rich countries are the nations with the largest arms industry why? Technology and skill

Sales of weapons form rich to poor countries has resulted in accelerated levels of conflict in areas of Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe Rich countries spend massive amounts of money on weapons R&D. They offset this cost by selling weapons  they keep the new/best and sell off the older technology BUT…arms sellers (eg. US) end up fighting against forces equipped with weapons made in their own country

During the 1991 Gulf War against Iraq: the US had supplied Iraq with weaponry during that countries war with Iran in the 1980’s In when the US battled Taliban forces in Afghanistan, the Taliban were using American weapons supplied to them when Soviet forces occupied Afghanistan in the 1980’s

Read the pages on the Arms Trade and answer the following questions (1)What type of weapons are commonly sold in the arms trade? Why? (2)Describe the significance of the AK-47. How does it relate to the term “Kalashnikov’s kids” (3)Why are children used as soldiers?