Many in the media and politics are aghast as to how modern western countries are still funding what is now being called genocide.
What the terrorist groups have done is absolutely awful and evil, but to respond by funding Israel that has so far killed tens of thousands of women and children (and remember in the US, this is funding from a country that mostly does not agree with abortion – but it’s okay if the children and unborn children are in the Middle East?)
Oxfam writes that the UK supplies millions of pounds worth of arms to Israel, so makes our country complicit in killing civilians. An immediate ceasefire is never going to happen, when the UK, US and other countries (including ‘neutral’ Switzerland) supply arms. The one country that has not sold weapons for many years is Japan, and now even they have started again.
The UK has major business selling arms which increases GDP (a good argument for finding alternatives to economic growth). Costa Rica is top in the world’s alternative Happiness Index (it got rid of its military decades ago, and uses money spend to protect its rainforests, small businesses and children).
It’s actually going against humanitarian law to sell arms to a country where they could be used to violate human rights. And this is obviously what is happening now. ‘Arms’ does not just mean guns and ammunition, but also tanks, missiles, combat aircrafts and technology.
In September 2024 (only due to months of campaigns), the UK government finally acknowledged that the arms were not being used for ‘conventional war’ and announced (some restrictions), but not enough. Parts are still being sold for fighter jets, which are raining bombs down on civilian casualties.
The International Court of Justice says that funding genocide results in ‘war crimes’ as children are being killed from the bombs, partly funded by UK government.
Of course it’s not just humans. Animals are also starving (and people are having sometimes to eat animal feed). Greenpeace writes that bombs and fuel causes pollution, making the water undrinkable and land not fit enough to grow food.
Major Arms Exporting Countries
The United States dominates the arms exporting market, supplying nearly 40% of global weapons. Countries like Russia and China are not far behind, with each providing significant military support to various nations. The motivations behind these exports vary.
For the U.S., it’s about maintaining its global influence, while Russia often uses arms sales as a means to forge strategic alliances. China, on the other hand, aims to expand its footprint in Asia and beyond.
How Arms Exports Escalate Conflicts
Let’s take a closer look at Yemen and Syria, two countries that have faced immense suffering due to arms exports. In Yemen, a coalition led by Saudi Arabia has received extensive military support from Western nations. As the conflict has intensified, human suffering has skyrocketed, with millions facing starvation and displacement.
In Syria, the conflict is equally complicated. Various foreign powers have armed different factions, leading to a fragmented battlefield. This chaos allows extremist groups to gain ground, further complicating an already dire situation. The roles of these international actors underscore how foreign arms can aggravate violence.
International Arms Trade Regulations
The Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) aims to establish a global standard for regulating international arms transfers. However, many countries have yet to ratify or implement its measures effectively.
This leads to discrepancies in enforcement and allows for unethical transactions to occur without consequence. Until these laws are universally followed, the risks associated with arms exports will persist.
The ethical dilemmas surrounding arms exports cannot be ignored. Many countries that receive arms are known for their poor human rights records. The link between arms sales and civilian casualties is alarming. Each weapon sold has the potential to contribute to atrocities, raising pressing questions: Should profit take precedence over human lives?
Are We Powerless to Stop Funding Weapons?
For now (until the Peace Party gain power?) the most powerful thing you can do is switch to a green bank account (like Triodos) that does not fund weapons, it takes just 10 minutes to switch (you also get a recycled plastic debit card – join Chris Packham, he’s switched!)
In the US, simple living guru Rob Greenfield does not earn enough to pay tax. He does this on purpose (giving everything above a certain amount away), so he legally does not have to pay any tax to fund war, as he doesn’t believe in it. This is similar to the Peace Tax that Quakers would like, so those of us who want peace, don’t have our tax being used to fund weapons.
Campaign Against Arms Trade says the solution is obvious. We have a climate crisis, and can easily transfer the skills of those engineers who make arms, over to build more solar panels, bird-friendly wind turbines and hydro-stations, to create more green energy. This is good for the planet and would keep people warm, for less bills.
This would also encourage others to do the same (the US is by far the world’s biggest arms producer, yet also mostly still runs on fossil fuels). Arms sales (however large their effect) only account for less than 2% of exports (and we should be focusing on local food and products anyway, not exports and imports).
