Emerald Red wrote:Recent examples?
Well, only the obvious ones spring to my mind here. Israel, Burma, Iraq. I dare say there's been quite a few people in those regions that have fled. I'm sure those aren't the only places in conflict the arms dealers have supplied. It's big money, man. Money makes the world spin.[/quote]
As far as I'm aware, munitions are exported from the UK to a number of countries around the world. However, our munitions factories are privatised.
Strictly speaking, Britain in recent times hasn't 'given' munitions to any oppressive regime intent on causing internecine warfare.
There are merely companies forging deals with other countries, according to UK and international regulations.
Business is business. Whether Israel source their munitions from the UK, or an alternative source, is largely inconsequential.
The regulations surrounding munitions exports, are undoubtedly shaped by the views of our gov't and the U.S. gov't.
What they view as an oppressive regime is very different from what you or I may view as an oppressive regime.
What happens to those munitions once exchanged, is out of our control, and hence there will always be the possibility that arm's are appropriated by rogue groups within conflicting regions.
It's perhaps ironic, but to some extent an inevitability. In recent times however, I don't think there have been many clear cut examples.
Burma, to my knowledge, does not import munitions from the UK, or certainly not a significant proportion.
Isreal are predominantly sourced by the U.S. and develop much of their own weapons systems, whilst in Iraq, the weapons used in sectarian violence, are allegedly sourced from Iran.
