US Arms Export Licenses Double in Two YearsLicenses issued by the US State Department for weapons, spare parts and arms manufacturing assistance totaled 55 billion U.S. dollars in fiscal year 2000, a 100 percent increase over licenses granted in 1998, according to the latest government report obtained by the Arms Trade Oversight Project.The arms export licenses to over 140 countries, combined with the Pentagon's 12.1 billion dollars in foreign military sales, boosted the U.S. arms sales to 67 billion dollars last year, solidifying the country as the world's dominant arms merchant. The report also shows that the U.S. government approved licenses worth tens of millions of dollars for small arms and related materials to nearly every country in Latin America. In 2000, 31 of 38 countries in Latin America received some small arms related export licenses from the United States, including licenses for 53,099 pistols and revolvers valued at over 53 million dollars, nearly 20,000 nonmilitary rifles valued at over eight million dollars, and over 195 million small caliber ammunition cartridges valued at over 18 million dollars. These numbers, according to the Project's analysis, explained well why the United States doggedly fought against efforts to restrain the trade in small arms and light weapons at the recent U. N. conference on small arms. The U.S. State Department also granted licenses to countries in Latin America that it cited in its previous human rights reports for "human rights violations." The expansion of export of materials and expertise necessary for foreign nations to build their own weapons will "lead to a proliferation of weapons and manufacturing capabilities, leaving the United States with less control over its weapons and manufacturing expertise," the Arms Trade Oversight Project commented. |
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