DISARMAMENT: Despite Recession, Global Arms Race Spirals
By Thalif Deen
UNITED NATIONS, Mar 15, 2010 (IPS) - The global financial crisis has not deterred some of the world's developed and developing nations from bolstering their military arsenals with expensive new weapons systems, including sophisticated fighter planes, combat helicopters, submarines, armoured vehicles and air defence systems.
The five largest arms purchasers during 2005-2009 were China, India, South Korea, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Greece, according to the latest figures released Monday by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).
The extended list of prolific arms buyers also includes Turkey, Singapore, Pakistan, Malaysia, Israel, Algeria, Morocco, Libya, Egypt, Iran, South Africa, Saudi Arabia, Brazil, Sudan, Chile and Venezuela.
"I think one should stress that political leaders in different regions of the world have expressed concerns their region is on the verge of an arms race," Dr. Paul Holtom, director of SIPRI's arms transfer programme, told IPS.
SIPRI data on deliveries and orders shows signs that these concerns may have grounds as in several regions of tension there is evidence of reactive acquisitions – for example, it is reasonable to assume that the Moroccan order for U.S.-made F-16 combat aircraft is related to the orders and deliveries of Russian-made Su-30MK to neighbouring Algeria, he added.
Fighter aircraft accounted for 27 percent of international arms transfers during 2005-2009.
These include 72 F-16E fighter planes to UAE, 52 F-16I to Israel and 40 F-15K to South Korea, collectively costing billions of dollars.
Russian exports of fighter planes include 82 Su-30s to India, 28 to Algeria, and 18 to Malaysia.
The Russians are also hoping to clinch a massive Indian contract for 126 combat aircraft, ahead of European and U.S. suppliers, in 2010.
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