The Capitalism Papers by Jerry Mander

Author:Jerry Mander [Mander, Jerry]
Language: eng
Format: epub, pdf
ISBN: 9781619022188
Publisher: Counterpoint
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

Commercial Arms Trade

Another very important dimension of this story is that U.S. corporate arms manufacturers also do very big business selling to other countries. Total arms sales to global markets (in 2008) represented about 68.4 percent of all global arms sales in the world, and that percentage is increasing. In October 2010, the Obama administration authorized the sale of some $60 billion in armaments to the government of Saudi Arabia, where 9/11 was born. These include Apache attack helicopters, tactical Black Hawk helicopters, and F-15 fighter jets. It is the biggest commercial armament sale in U.S. history. Not announced, but expected by most observers, is that the U.S. will likely make an offsetting sale to Israel so its own military readiness will remain superior to Saudi Arabia’s. All of this can only be viewed realistically as yet more economic stimulus.

Other countries may not match our level of arms sales, but they are also significantly involved. Alex Sanchez, of the Council on Hemispheric Affairs, reported in February 2011 that Russia and China, and several European countries, have been finding good sales opportunities in South America. Venezuela is a particularly big buyer of Russia’s Sukhoi fighter jets, helicopters, Kalashnikov and Dragunov rifles, and shoulder-fired antiaircraft missiles. Venezuela calls them “defensive,” and Moscow calls them part of its “military diplomacy” program. Whatever you call it, it’s highly profitable business.

Other South American countries buying military hardware include Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, and Chile. Some of these countries say it’s to deal with “narco-traffickers.” The sellers include France, Israel, Germany, and Spain, as well as China, Russia, and, of course, the United States. Items in demand include helicopters, tanks, fighter planes, rifles, and radar equipment. One notable item is that Brazil is buying two nuclear-powered submarines from France.

A cynic might say that the good news about such deals is that they make it far more likely that countries will eventually start using this increased supply of modern equipment on each other, or on some of their suppliers. That would mean that more places will be destroyed, and more equipment will have to be built and bought, and wherever destruction has taken place will have to be rebuilt. All of this is very good for the business cycle.

While the United States makes sales to South America, many here have complained about the other countries that are intervening in South America, particularly those that support Venezuela. In a June 2010 report issued by the right-wing Heritage Foundation, Peter Brookes argued that “Chávez is spending billions on arms from Russia in the absence of any valid threat coming from Washington.” But most worrisome, according to Brookes, is the Venezuelan leader’s interest in nuclear power, where he is seeking assistance from both Russia and Iran. This conjures up the deeply disturbing image, says Brookes, of “a nuclear threat not far from our shores.”

Meanwhile, the United States claims to remain the most peaceful of all nations involved in that region. But that’s not how South Americans view it. South America experienced two centuries of U.

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