On May 3, 11:11 am, Ed Huntress <
huntre...@optonline.net> wrote:
>
>
> On Fri, 03 May 2013 09:02:36 -0600, deep wrote:
>
>>On Fri, 03 May 2013 10:51:20 -0400, Ed Huntress
>><
huntre...@optonline.net> wrote:
>
>>>>>>>
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_arms_exports
>
>>>>>>That doesn't even come CLOSE to addressing his request.
>
>>>>>>Fuck, don't you READ cites before posting them?
>
>>>>>Exactly. The US only sells our $34 billion of weapons, including
>>>>>200,000 small arms, to "trusted parties." ...heh, heh....
>
>>>>The cite didn't support the claim. Perhaps you'd like to help him out?
>
>>>Hey, I said "exactly," referring to your comment about the Wikipedia
>>>cite not supporting what was said.
>
>>Of course it does. Maybe you people need to read it again. Here's a
>>couple of more.
>
>>
http://www.amnesty.org/en/news/big-six-arms-exporters-2012-06-11
>
> I get an "Error 503" on that one.
>
It comes up as an almost two-year-old unattributed AI article titled
"The 'Big Six' arms exporters":
1. China
There are few official statistics on the Chinese arms trade but the
Stockholm International Peace Research Institute estimates that
accounts for around 3 per cent of the global trade in conventional
arms.
Countries supplied
Recipient countries over the past decade have tended to be developing
countries with poor human rights records including Algeria, Angola,
Bangladesh, DRC, Guinea, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kenya,
Libya, Myanmar, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Sudan and Zimbabwe.
Irresponsible transfers
China continues to supply small arms ammunition to Sudan which has
been used in Darfur by security forces and government backed militia
groups. Chinese rockets and anti-vehicle mines were supplied to Libya
under Colonel Muāammar al-Gaddafi. Ammunition, rocket-propelled
grenades, mortar bombs and mortar launchers have been supplied to
Zimbabwe.
Stance on the ATT
China has not signed up to any multilateral agreement on arms exports,
and has a cautious approach to the proposed treaty. It has said it
accepts the need for a treaty to recognize international human rights
but that such criteria are difficult to judge objectively. There have
been interventions from China to narrow the scope of the ATT to
exclude small arms and light weapons, as well as government-to-
government transfers. Experience from earlier negotiations suggests
that China will try to water down the text and then introduce a late
major objection.
2. France
France, Germany and UK are consistently ranked third, fourth or fifth
globally in terms of the value of their conventional arms exports.
Countries supplied
Franceās key customers include Singapore, UAE, Greece, other NATO
partners, the Middle East and North Africa region and Francophone
countries. Recently, France and Russia have begun exchanges on defence
cooperation and naval equipment.
Irresponsible transfers
Generally supportive of strict criteria for arms transfers, France has
still supplied arms to countries where there is a substantial risk
that they could be used to commit serious human rights violations. For
example, it supplied weaponry and munitions to Libya under al-Gaddafi,
ammunition and armoured vehicles to both Egypt and Chad, and munitions
to Syria between 2005 and 2009.
Stance on the ATT
France has a progressive position broadly in line with the EU Common
Position on Arms Exports, established along with the UK and other EU
governments. It generally supports inclusion of a binding rule along
the lines of Amnesty Internationalās Golden Rule. France has pushed
for a comprehensive treaty and robust enforcement mechanisms,
including criminalizing arms trafficking in national laws. However,
there is a risk that France (along with Germany and UK) may bend to US
pressures to water down human rights protection in order to
accommodate China and Russia.
3. Germany
Germany is consistently ranked third, fourth or fifth globally in
terms of the value of its conventional arms exports. Though not a
permanent member of the UN Security Council, as an economic leader in
the EU, a major player in the UN, the Wassenaar Arrangement, OSCE and
other multilateral organisations, Germanyās influence in ATT
negotiations will be significant.
Countries supplied
Germany is one of the largest EU exporters of arms to the Middle East
and North Africa region. Other key customers include South Africa,
Greece, Turkey and other NATO partners, as well as Asian and Latin
American countries.
Irresponsible transfers
Generally supportive of strict criteria for arms transfers, Germany
has nonetheless supplied arms to countries where there is a
substantial risk they could be used to commit human rights violations.
For example, it supplied armoured vehicles to Yemen and to Libya under
al-Gaddafi as well as small arms to Bahrain and Egypt. It has supplied
arms and ammunition to Guatemala and to the Philippines.
Stance on the ATT
Germanyās basic position on the treaty is in line with the EU Common
Position on Arms Exports. It also generally supports inclusion of
Amnesty Internationalās Golden Rule. The country has a progressive
position on the scope of the treaty and supports the inclusion of
small arms and light weapons as well as munitions. Germany has
emphasized the need for clarity in the ATT on the responsibility of
each state in an arms transaction. As with France and the UK, there is
a risk that Germany may succumb to US pressure to water down the ATT
text on human rights in order to accommodate China and Russia.
4. Russia
Russia is the second largest arms trading country globally by value of
exports and will exert a major influence in ATT negotiations.
Countries supplied
Main customers include India, Syria, Algeria, Myanmar, Venezuela,
Sudan and many African states. However, Russiaās arms industry has
been falling behind in key technologies and it is seeking
sophisticated partners and new markets for many products.
Irresponsible transfers
Russia has supplied arms to several countries where they risk being
used to commit serious human rights violations. It does not publish
arms export details, but 10 per cent of all Russian arms exports are
believed to go to Syria, making it the countryās largest arms
supplier. Transfers include missiles and missile launchers, anti-tank
missiles for the Russian-made T72 tank, and MIG jet fighters jet
aircraft. Russia also supplied AK-style assault rifles to Libya under
al-Gaddafi. Russia continues to supply helicopter gunships to Sudan,
where they have been used to attack civilians in Darfur and Southern
Kordofan.
Stance on the ATT
Russia, like China, appears not to want the treaty to include binding
rules on international human rights, international humanitarian law
and socio-economic development. Russian officials argue that such
rules are interpreted subjectively and ideologically. However, Russia
is already committed to the OSCE and Wassenaar Arrangement, both of
which contain principles to respect international human rights law and
international humanitarian law when considering arms transfers. Russia
also appears comfortable with the ATT covering a wide range of
conventional arms as in the Munitions List of the Wassenaar
Arrangement. Russia believes the focus should be on controlling trade
to avoid diversion into the illicit arms market but the details of its
proposals and views on transparency remain sketchy.
5. UK
The UK consistently ranked third, fourth or fifth globally, along with
France and Germany, in terms of the annual value of its conventional
arms exports.
Countries supplied
Key customers include the USA, India, Saudi Arabia, South Africa and
other NATO partners. It is also a major exporter to other countries in
the Middle East and North Africa, as well as in sub-Saharan Africa.
Irresponsible transfers
Generally supportive of strict criteria for arms transfers, the UK has
nonetheless supplied arms to countries where there is a substantial
risk that they could be used to commit serious violations of human
rights. For example, the UK supplied arms to the Sri Lankan government
knowing of its repression and UK national legislation is being
reviewed following evidence that the UK supplied small arms,
ammunition, munitions and armoured vehicle equipment to Libya under al-
Gaddafi as well as small arms to Bahrain and law enforcement equipment
to Yemen.
Stance on the ATT
In 2005, the UK became the first major arms trading power to support
an Arms Trade Treaty covering human rights. With France it helped
establish the EU code that has now become the EU Common Position on
Arms Exports, the starting point for UK policy positions on the ATT.
It also co-authored various UN General Assembly resolutions between
2006 and 2009 leading to the current negotiations. The UK has
generally supported the Golden Rule and has progressive positions on
the treatyās scope and implementation mechanisms (for example backing
robust transparency measures). However, as with France and Germany, if
there is not a majority of states pushing for strong rules, the UK
could succumb to US pressure to water down the treaty text on human
rights protection in order to accommodate China and Russia.
6. USA
The United States is by far the worldās largest arms trader,
accounting for around 30 per cent of conventional arms transfers in
terms of value. Its position on the ATT is therefore key.
Countries supplied
The USA supplies arms to more than 170 countries and has a mixed
record of suspending arms supplies on human rights grounds. For
example, it has restricted arms transfers to Myanmar, China, Sri Lanka
and Zimbabwe in addition to countries subject to UN arms embargoes.
However, it has supplied arms to other countries, for example Sri
Lanka, Bahrain, Egypt and Yemen, where there is a substantial risk
that they could be used to commit of facilitate serious human rights
violations.
Irresponsible transfers
As the main arms supplier to Egypt, the US authorized the sale of
small arms, millions of rounds of ammunition and chemical agents for
riot control, despite the security forcesā violent crackdown on
protesters. Yemen was also supplied with small arms, chemical agents
and armoured vehicles, and Bahrain with small arms. It provides
Colombiaās security forces with arms, military aid and training,
despite their persistent violations of human rights.
Stance on the ATT
Since October 2009, when the Obama administration reversed previous
opposition to an ATT, US support has been crucial in getting to the
current negotiation stage. The US has said it wants the treaty to
raise the international standard for export control of armaments as
close as possible to that of the US. However, the US position is
weaker on human rights protection in the treaty than many of its
allies. For example, US officials have not wanted to include
obligations on states to prohibit transfers of arms even where there
is credible evidence of their potential use for serious violations of
human rights. US officials have also argued against including
ammunition under the scope of the treaty, claiming it is too sensitive
and would pose technical problems of implementation. Overall, US
officials would prefer a short loose document that spells out general
principles to ātake into accountā rather than strong binding measures.
>
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http://www.upi.com/News_Photos/Features/Worlds-Top-5-arms-exporters/3...