Re: Why socialism is necessary

[Yoshie Furuhashi <furuhashi.1@xxxxxxx>]

> Jurriaan Bendien wrote:
>
> >  Louis, I don't disagree with you in that Soviet-type economies were
> >  much less "bellicose". But let's not forget  such things as the
> >  Sino-Soviet conflict, the invasion of Cezechoslovakia and Hungary by
> >  the Red Army, Vietnam-Cambodia,  and the military support of the USSR
> >  and PRC for various combatants in numerous third world countries in
> >  accordance with their own foreign policy designs.
>
> I agree. China and North Korea are important suppliers of defense equipment
> to Pakistan. These supplies are meant to be used against India. China has
> supplied conventional weapons like fighter aircrafts There are frequent
> reports (or allegations) that Pakistan's nuclear weapons were developed with
> Chinese help and Pakistani missile development is based on North Korean
> help. Sermons on anti-imperialism and human welfare may be directed towards
> Beijing and Pyongyang.
>
> Ulhas

*****   Uncle Sam World's Arms Merchant Again
In 2000 U.S. Sells $18.6 Billion Worldwide, $12.6 Billion to
Developing Countries

Last year the U.S. controlled half of the developing world's arms
market with $12.6 billion in sales, according to an annual report
published by the Congressional Research Service. This dominance of
the global arms market is not something in which the American public
or policy makers should take pride in. The U.S. routinely sells
weapons to undemocratic regimes and gross human rights abusers.

The report, Conventional Arms Transfers to Developing Nations,
1993-2000, details U.S. and foreign countries' arms sales to
developing countries. Data in the report refutes concerns by the U.S.
defense industry that the U.S. is at a competitive disadvantage
relative to Western European arms suppliers (see Insider #50,
8/13/01). In 2000, Western European arms sales to developing nations
declined to $2.1 billion, only 12.2% of the developing world market
in 2000. Not counting France's $1.5 billion frigate sale to
Singapore, and Germany's sale of three diesel submarines to South
Korea (two weapons the U.S. does not build), Europe's share of the
market was almost non-existent in 2000.

In 2000, the value of arms sales worldwide was $36.9 billion, a
figure greater than any year since 1993. According to the report, the
U.S. held over 50% of the worldwide arms market with over $18 billion
in sales. The next closest competitors were Russia with $7.7 billion,
and France with sales valued at $4.1 billion. Nor does U.S. dominance
show any signs of weakness - the U.S. share of the market in 2000 was
up substantially from a 36 percent share in 1999. The U.S. sells
major systems like jet fighters, upgrades existing equipment, and
sells "a wide variety of spare parts, ammunition, ordnance, training
and support services," according to the report....

<http://www.clw.org/atop/inside/inside53.html>   *****

*****   U.S. Arms Sales Policy Related to Counter-Terrorism and Near
East / South Asia

Shortly after the terrorist attacks, the Bush administration lifted
those sanctions on Pakistan and India that had been imposed after
both countries tested nuclear weapons.  Additional sanctions remained
in place for Pakistan, as well as other countries the Bush
Administration wanted to coax into playing a key role in the
anti-terrorism coalition.  The administration therefore included in a
draft anti-terrorism bill sent to Congress a provision that would
have lifted all restrictions on military aid and arms transfers for
the next five years in cases where doing so would help fight
terrorism or other threats to international peace and security.  The
provision also specifically lifted bans on counter-terrorism and
non-proliferation aid for states with gross and consistent human
rights abuses or a history of non-cooperation on counter-terrorism.
After strong criticism from Congress and NGOs, the proposal was
scaled back to a request to lift remaining sanctions on Pakistan for
two years.

The Pakistan-only waiver was put into a separate bill (S. 1465,
sponsored by Sen. Brownback), which became law on 27 October 2001.
This law waives the military coup provision (no arms or aid to
countries that have undergone a military coup until democracy is
restored) from Foreign Operations Appropriations bills for FY 2002
and 2003; allows for greater flexibility on sanctions related to MTCR
or Export Administration Act violations; and exempts Pakistan from
restrictions on aid relating to loan defaults.  It also shortens the
congressional notification period for transfers of weapons from
current U.S. stocks (drawdowns) from 15 to 5 days and transfers of
excess U.S. weapons from 30 to 15 days for all countries if the
transfers would respond to or prevent international acts of
terrorism.  After President Musharaf's visit to Washington in
February 2002, the Bush administration announced that discussions
regarding the resumption of arms transfers to Pakistan were ongoing.

Senator Brownback also sponsored an amendment to the FY02 Foreign
Operations Appropriations bill that would waive sanctions on
Azerbaijan (Section 907 of the Freedom Support Act) in order to
support U.S. counter-terrorism efforts.  The final version of the
bill, which was approved by the House-Senate Conference Committee on
December 19, includes a renewable one-year waiver with a proviso that
military aid or arms cannot undermine the peace process with hostile
neighbor Armenia.  In March 2002, Congress made these temporary
waivers permanent by amending the International Traffic in Arms
Regulations (ITAR).  With this notice, Armenia and Azerbaijan were
officially removed from a list of proscribed destinations for the
exports and imports of defense articles and defense services

In response to the Philippines support for U.S. anti-terrorism
efforts - including offers of use of bases, airspace, and law
enforcement aid - the U.S. government offered $92.3 million worth of
excess military equipment, including a C-130 transport plane, 8 UH-1H
utility helicopters, a naval patrol boat, and 30,000 M-16 rifles plus
ammunition.  The aid is also intended to help Manila fight its
various insurgencies, including the Abu Sayyef, which has allegedly
had ties to Al Qaeda.  U.S. Special Operations Forces are also
providing on-site training for Filipino soldiers fighting the Abu
Sayyef. The Bush administration has also reportedly offered excess
defense articles (EDA) to Turkey in the name of combating terrorism
in all its forms (i.e., counter-insurgency).  Georgia is the most
recent recipient of U.S. weapons and aid, receiving 10 UH-1H Huey
helicopters (four for spare parts only) and military training to
fight Arab soldiers with alleged ties to Al Qaeda that have been
participating in the Chechen war and are now taking refuge in the
Pankisi Gorge region in northern Georgia.

Also in the name of helping other states fight terrorism, the State
Department announced on January 9, 2002, that Tajikistan - which has
been cooperating with the U.S. counter-terrorism efforts - was
removed from the ITAR list of states prohibited from receiving U.S.
military goods and services.  The State Department is also planning
to begin combat and weapons training for Kenyan soldiers as part of
the African Crisis Response Initiative, which had previously been
limited to non-lethal peacekeeping training.  The shift in training
could help clear the way for U.S. forces to use Kenyan bases in an
eventual attack on terrorist camps in Somalia.  President Bush's
March 21, 2002 Emergency Supplemental Budget Request includes greatly
increased levels of foreign military financing for Kenya, as well as
Djibouti and Ethiopia, the three countries which share borders with
Somalia.

This Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Request also includes a
$50 million request under the Foreign Military Financing Program for
Afghanistan, and contains provisions for the arming and training of
an Afghan army.  The $373 million Foreign Military Financing request
for "the fight against terrorism" also names Pakistan, Nepal, Jordan,
Bahrain, Oman, Yemen, Uzbekistan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan,
Kazakhstan, Turkey, Georgia, the Philippines, Colombia and Ecuador as
intended recipients of U.S. military equipment and aid.

In one demonstration of restraint, the State Department decided to
suspend the export of long-range .50 caliber sniper rifles to
individuals or commercial dealers because of the special risk they
pose to U.S. security.  The State Department seemed to be responding
to a request from Rep. Henry Hyde, ranking minority member on the
House Committee on Governmental Reform, and a report from the
Violence Policy Center  showing that U.S. arms makers had previously
transferred these high-powered weapons to foreign terrorists,
including Osama bin Laden.  These weapons can shoot accurately from
almost 2,000 yards, and can take down aircraft and pierce armored
vehicles.  The State Department had already approved the export of 75
such weapons this year, though only 16 had already been delivered
before the decision to suspend further exports.

<http://www.fas.org/terrorism/at/>   *****
--
Yoshie

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