The Asia Pacific region is generally the second largest market for the defense industry. Global arms suppliers compete to sell their inventions to this region to a great extent.
According to a report, global military expenditure in 2007 exceeded US$1.3 trillion. The United States of America is still the largest spender relative to military hardware amounting to US$623 billion ahead of China with 65 billion, and Russia with 50 billion. In the Southeast Asean Region, Singapore leads the race with US$5.6 billion, followed by Malaysia with 2.5 billion, Thailand with 2 billion and Indonesia with a budget allocation of 1.3 billion.At the end of the Cold War and the start of the war on terrorism, the role of the defence industry increased tremendously and has become pivotal. Full media coverage is afforded and hundred of events relating to the military and defence have been organized every year around the world to promote new inventions. Programmes and Information covering peace have not been highlighted enough. Is this an indication that the world is showing a love of war? What has been done by world leaders thus far to promote world peace?
In the year 2007 alone, 14 international defence exhibitions and showcases were organized and was reported to have accumulated trillions in contracts of the weapons trade. The table below lists events which promoted the sales of weapons.
Name of Events | Date | Location |
SITEDF 2007: International Defence Exhibition | 21 – 25 November 2007 | Peru |
EXPOMIL 2007: International Defence Exhibition | 18 – 21 October 2007 | Romania |
MILIPOL 2007: Worldwide Exhibition of Internal State Security | 09 – 12 October 2007 | France |
DSEI 2007 International Defence Systems and equipment to United Kingdom, England. |
08 – 11 September 2007 | London |
The MSPO 2007 International Defence Exhibition |
03 – 06 September 2007 | Kielce, Poland |
The International Defence Air Show MAKS 2007 | 21 – 26 August 2007 | Moscow, Russia. |
Kecskemet 2007 Air and Military Show | 11 – 12 August 2007 | Hungary |
DVD 2007 annual vehicles defense show for defence wheeled armoured vehicle and emergency services environment | 27 – 28 June 2007 | |
Vlootdagen 2007, Dutch Navy Day | 14 – 15 July 2007 | Den Helder, Netherlands. |
Bhana 2007 Czech Army open day to Strasice | 23 June 2007 | Czech Republic |
The International Defence Equipment Exhibition VTTV Omsk 2007, | 5 – 9 June 2007 | Omsk Russia. |
IDEF 2007: International Exhibition about Defence Systems and equipment. | 22 – 25 May 2007 | Ankara, Turkey |
IDET 2007: The 9th International Exhibition of Defence and Security Technologies. | 02 – 04 May 2007 | Czech Republic |
The International Defence Equipment Exhibition IDEX 2007 | 18 – 22 February 2007 | United Arab Emirates. |
Source: www.armyrecognition.com
At the Defense and Security programme held at PWTC in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia former Prime Minister, Tun Mahathir, delivered an important speech entitled “Security Problems in Asia and Their Possible Impact on World Security” in Havana, Cuba. The gist of his message was very clear that “the real threat to everyone’s security is caused by the people who continually produce new and more efficient weapons”. In other words, those who continuously produce and sell weapons are the ones threatening world peace.
Proponents of arms exports believe that weapons are vital for security, from which everyone benefits. The dictum of the 4th century Roman military leader, Vegetius “Therefore, he who desires peace, let him prepare for war” is the maxim for major arms suppliers around the world. The principle peace is sought through war only happens in a barbaric and uncivilized world. War assumes an expansion of power, influence and conquest of new territorial border. Such a unilateral relationship should not exist anymore. Sadly, elements of war, either through the sale of weapons or by creating conflict, always becomes the means to solve a problem. This is a failure, as it happens in many parts of the world which still do not see any conclusion to conflict.
I strongly agree with Tun Mahathir’s assertion that war is no longer an option in the settlement of conflicts between nations. This is because the capacity of modern weapons to inflict wholesale death and destruction is guaranteed.
As a matter of fact, this preoccupation with war has made the world a battlefield. The sense of insecurity and the preponderance of uncertainty is engraved into society. Take for instance, a country possessing nuclear warheads and uses depleted uranium in war has a greater impact than that of an individual terrorist who takes suicide bombing as his weapon of choice. Therefore, it suffices to say that the real threat to security is caused by those who continually produce new and more efficient weapons.
Regardless of whether actual fighting takes place, poor countries are often misled in spending money on arms when the same amount could be spent on badly needed healthcare and education. It is estimated that arms sales are responsible for a fifth of the total international debt owed by poor countries. Yet despite this, governments in weapons-producing countries continue to help companies push their weapons on the third world.
The marketing and profit earning of the defence industry is made from war. Threat, fear, conflict and war must be created in order to create markets for the supply of ammunition and new weapons.
Much investment is involved in this lucrative business provided by profit-making states and individuals. In order to make returns on their investments, the producers of these very costly weapons have aggressively promoted their sales.
Countries have been persuaded to equip their armed forces with these weapons, thus incurring huge expenditures. If any country refuses to be duped into buying these weapons, then the neigbouring country would be persuaded to buy them. The result would be an arms race. As the weapons keep on being updated, expenditure on arms by poor countries often cause them to be poorer.
Ammunition and new weapons are replenished during the course of conflicts and wars placing a scene strain of a country’s budget deficits, and at the end its sovereignty is sacrificed.
For the Warlords, they are always thinking about how to win the war. On the other hand, the Lords of War are thinking about how to fully maximize their profits by supplying weapons and ammunition. The Lords of War know that there are over 500 million firearms in circulation world wide. That translates to one firearm for every twelve people on the planet. The only question to the Lords of War is how do they arm the other eleven?
The profits from a defence industry which has indulged in an unjustified cause is blood money and is therefore tainted. To the proliferators of arms, you have caused insecurity and has guaranteed that your life will never be peaceful. For those states who are predisposed to misguidance, be warned! Do not be subjugated by the Lords of War.