Today's Article
The United States
often transfers arms
to such nations as
Saudi Arabia,
Kuwait and the
United Arab
Emirates (U.A.E.)
often transfers arms
to such nations as
Saudi Arabia,
Kuwait and the
United Arab
Emirates (U.A.E.)
The American Spark
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
U.S. Often Biggest Supplier In International Weapons Trade
By Cliff Montgomery - Nov. 14th, 2008
America often leads all other countries "on conventional arms transfers to developing nations," such as Saudi
Arabia, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates (U.A.E.), states a Congressional Research Service (CRS) study
released on October 23rd. The report documented U.S. arms transfers from 2000-2007.
We'll leave it the reader to decide on the wisdom of supplying arms to such nations. You may read the entire
CRS report here, or simply get the basic idea from some of the study's main points, which The American
Spark provides below:
"This report is prepared annually to provide Congress with official, unclassified, quantitative data on
conventional arms transfers to developing nations by the United States and foreign countries for the preceding
eight calendar years for use in its policy oversight functions. All agreement and delivery data in this report for
the United States are government-to-government Foreign Military Sales (FMS) transactions.
"Similar data are provided on worldwide conventional arms transfers by all suppliers, but the principal focus is
the level of arms transfers by major weapons suppliers to nations in the developing world.
"Developing nations continue to be the primary focus of foreign arms sales activity by weapons suppliers.
During the years 2000-2007, the value of arms transfer agreements with developing nations comprised 66.6%
of all such agreements worldwide.
"More recently, arms transfer agreements with developing nations constituted 67.7% of all such agreements
globally from 2004-2007, and 70.5% of these agreements in 2007.
"The value of all arms transfer agreements with developing nations in 2007 was nearly $42.3 billion. This was
an increase from $38.1 billion in 2006. In 2007, the value of all arms deliveries to developing nations was $17.2
billion, the lowest total in these deliveries values for the entire 2000-2007 period (in constant 2007 dollars).
"Recently, from 2004-2007, the United States and Russia have dominated the arms market in the developing
world, with both nations either ranking first or second for 3 out of 4 years in the value of arms transfer
agreements. From 2004-2007, Russia made nearly $39.3 billion, 27.9% of all such agreements, expressed in
constant 2007 dollars.
"During this same period, the United States made $34.7 billion in such agreements, 24.6% of all such
agreements. Collectively, the United States and Russia made 52.5% of all arms transfer agreements with
developing nations during this four-year period.
"In 2007, the United States ranked first in arms transfer agreements with developing nations with $12.2 billion
or 28.8% of these agreements. The United Kingdom was second with $9.8 billion or 23.2% of such
agreements. Russia was third with $9.7 billion or 23%.
"In 2007, the United States ranked first in the value of arms deliveries to developing nations at $7.6 billion, or
44.2% of all such deliveries. Russia ranked second at $4.6 billion or 26.7% of such deliveries.
"In 2007, Saudi Arabia ranked first in the value of arms transfer agreements among all developing nations
weapons purchasers, concluding $10.6 billion in such agreements. India ranked second with $5 billion in such
agreements. Pakistan ranked third with $4.2 billion. [...]
"United States commercially licensed arms deliveries data are not included in this report. The United States
is the only major arms supplier that has two distinct systems for the export of weapons: the government-to-
government Foreign Military Sales (FMS) system, and the licensed commercial export system.
"It should be noted that data maintained on U.S. commercial sales agreements and deliveries are incomplete,
and are not collected or revised on an on-going basis, making them significantly less precise than those for the
U.S. FMS program — which accounts for the overwhelming portion of U.S. conventional arms transfer
agreements and deliveries involving weapons systems.
"There are no official compilations of commercial agreement data comparable to that for the FMS program
maintained on an annual basis.
"Once an exporter receives from the State Department a commercial license authorization to sell — valid for
four years — there is no current requirement that the exporter provide to the State Department, on a
systematic and on-going basis, comprehensive details regarding any sales contract that results from the
license authorization, including if any such contract is reduced in scope or canceled. Nor is the exporter
required to report that no contract with the prospective buyer resulted."
Like what you're reading so far? Then why not order a full year (52 issues) of the The American Spark e-
newsletter for only $15? A major article covering an story not being told in the Corporate Press will be
delivered to your email every Monday morning for a full year, for less than 30 cents an issue. Order Now!
By Cliff Montgomery - Nov. 14th, 2008
America often leads all other countries "on conventional arms transfers to developing nations," such as Saudi
Arabia, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates (U.A.E.), states a Congressional Research Service (CRS) study
released on October 23rd. The report documented U.S. arms transfers from 2000-2007.
We'll leave it the reader to decide on the wisdom of supplying arms to such nations. You may read the entire
CRS report here, or simply get the basic idea from some of the study's main points, which The American
Spark provides below:
"This report is prepared annually to provide Congress with official, unclassified, quantitative data on
conventional arms transfers to developing nations by the United States and foreign countries for the preceding
eight calendar years for use in its policy oversight functions. All agreement and delivery data in this report for
the United States are government-to-government Foreign Military Sales (FMS) transactions.
"Similar data are provided on worldwide conventional arms transfers by all suppliers, but the principal focus is
the level of arms transfers by major weapons suppliers to nations in the developing world.
"Developing nations continue to be the primary focus of foreign arms sales activity by weapons suppliers.
During the years 2000-2007, the value of arms transfer agreements with developing nations comprised 66.6%
of all such agreements worldwide.
"More recently, arms transfer agreements with developing nations constituted 67.7% of all such agreements
globally from 2004-2007, and 70.5% of these agreements in 2007.
"The value of all arms transfer agreements with developing nations in 2007 was nearly $42.3 billion. This was
an increase from $38.1 billion in 2006. In 2007, the value of all arms deliveries to developing nations was $17.2
billion, the lowest total in these deliveries values for the entire 2000-2007 period (in constant 2007 dollars).
"Recently, from 2004-2007, the United States and Russia have dominated the arms market in the developing
world, with both nations either ranking first or second for 3 out of 4 years in the value of arms transfer
agreements. From 2004-2007, Russia made nearly $39.3 billion, 27.9% of all such agreements, expressed in
constant 2007 dollars.
"During this same period, the United States made $34.7 billion in such agreements, 24.6% of all such
agreements. Collectively, the United States and Russia made 52.5% of all arms transfer agreements with
developing nations during this four-year period.
"In 2007, the United States ranked first in arms transfer agreements with developing nations with $12.2 billion
or 28.8% of these agreements. The United Kingdom was second with $9.8 billion or 23.2% of such
agreements. Russia was third with $9.7 billion or 23%.
"In 2007, the United States ranked first in the value of arms deliveries to developing nations at $7.6 billion, or
44.2% of all such deliveries. Russia ranked second at $4.6 billion or 26.7% of such deliveries.
"In 2007, Saudi Arabia ranked first in the value of arms transfer agreements among all developing nations
weapons purchasers, concluding $10.6 billion in such agreements. India ranked second with $5 billion in such
agreements. Pakistan ranked third with $4.2 billion. [...]
"United States commercially licensed arms deliveries data are not included in this report. The United States
is the only major arms supplier that has two distinct systems for the export of weapons: the government-to-
government Foreign Military Sales (FMS) system, and the licensed commercial export system.
"It should be noted that data maintained on U.S. commercial sales agreements and deliveries are incomplete,
and are not collected or revised on an on-going basis, making them significantly less precise than those for the
U.S. FMS program — which accounts for the overwhelming portion of U.S. conventional arms transfer
agreements and deliveries involving weapons systems.
"There are no official compilations of commercial agreement data comparable to that for the FMS program
maintained on an annual basis.
"Once an exporter receives from the State Department a commercial license authorization to sell — valid for
four years — there is no current requirement that the exporter provide to the State Department, on a
systematic and on-going basis, comprehensive details regarding any sales contract that results from the
license authorization, including if any such contract is reduced in scope or canceled. Nor is the exporter
required to report that no contract with the prospective buyer resulted."
Like what you're reading so far? Then why not order a full year (52 issues) of the The American Spark e-
newsletter for only $15? A major article covering an story not being told in the Corporate Press will be
delivered to your email every Monday morning for a full year, for less than 30 cents an issue. Order Now!
Wait, why does an
independent news source
run advertisements? The
Spark answers in its
advertising policy.
independent news source
run advertisements? The
Spark answers in its
advertising policy.
* Please check out our ads--they
help keep this news site running.
Thanks!
help keep this news site running.
Thanks!