Merchants Of Death

Subject  > Law & Government Essays  > Military & International Conflicts & Security

“Merchants of Death – The Truth behind the Arms Industry”NAME HEREDATE AND OTHER SUCH INFORMATION“Bullets change governments far surer than votes.”Cage, N. (Producer), & Niccol, A. (Director). (2005). Lord of War[Motion Picture]. Santa Monica, CA: Lions Gate Films. Though sugarcoated for the general public, the 2005 motion picture “Lord of War” is a candid eye-opener to one of the world’s most massive global 'businesses'. Arms trade or 'Gunrunning' is an international business practiced worldwide. Decades ago the arms business was largely controlled by the governments of the world. Though there are groups of private arms companies now, gunrunning remains tied to today's politics and relations of the world. The arms industry holds a key position in the world's politics; as alliances ...

... or barely enforced. The Arms Bazaar, Shattered Lives, Chapter 4, p. 54, Control Arms Campaign, October 2003Vast government subsidies are sought after in the pursuit of arms trading. US and European corporations receive enormous tax breaks and even lend money to other countries to purchase weapons from them. Therefore tax payers from these countries end up often unknowingly subsidizing arms sales. The top five countries profiting from the arms trade are the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council: the USA, UK, France, Russia, and China. From 1998 to 2001, the USA, the UK, and France earned more income from arms sales to developing countries than they gave in aid. The arms industry is

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