The US of A(rms)

The United States dominates the global arms trade in a historic fashion and nowhere is that domination more complete than in the Middle East | WILLIAM D. HARTUNG

Infrastructure of US bases in the Middle East | David Vine

The United States has the dubious distinction of being the world’s leading arms dealer. It dominates the global trade in a historic fashion and nowhere is that domination more complete than in the endlessly war-torn Middle East. There, believe it or not, the U.S. controls nearly half the arms market. From Yemen to Libya to Egypt, sales by this country and its allies are playing a significant role in fuelling some of the world’s most devastating conflicts. But Donald Trump, even before he was felled by Covid-19 and sent to Walter Reed Medical Center, could not have cared less, as long as he thought such trafficking in the tools of death and destruction would help his political prospects.

Profiteering from US aggression against Iran

By SARAH ANDERSON

Merchants of Death – Lithograph by Mabel Dwight

CEOs of major U.S. military contractors stand to reap huge windfalls from the escalation of conflict with Iran. This was evident in the immediate aftermath of the U.S. assassination of a top Iranian military official . As soon as the news reached financial markets, these companies’ share prices spiked, inflating the value of their executives’ stock-based pay.

I took a look at how the CEOs at the top five Pentagon contractors were affected by this surge, using the most recent SEC information on their stock holdings.

Canada’s integration into the US imperialist war economy

By K.C. ADAMS

Canada’s integration into the U.S. imperialist war economy is a serious matter of concern for Canadians. The U.S. war economy has tentacles into every U.S. state as well as Canada and countless other places abroad. The war economy encompasses production and sales of military goods and services to military customers domestically and internationally and all the fixed and circulating value it requires to operate such as buildings and fuel. The war economy includes thousands of military bases, airports, colleges, research centres, intelligence agencies, testing facilities and a vast army of active duty and reservist military personnel and services to veterans.

No Via Rail for War, No Ports Toronto for War, No Harbour for War!

Via Rail, Ports Toronto, Halifax International Security Forum and General Dynamics Land Systems (US manufacturers of the LAVs being shipped to Saudi Arabia for its war of aggression against Yemen through the port of Saint John) are all corporate sponsors of the NATO Association of Canada. Why is this?

Troops and war material must be transported to Europe, the Middle East, Latin America, Africa and Asia.

Background on Canada-Ukraine defence agreement: A ‘rich, mutually beneficial’ arms trade

Exposé: “It could scarcely be clearer. On top of laying the groundwork for increased arming of the Ukrainian armed forces, the Canada-Ukraine Defence Cooperation Agreement constitutes another means to expand arms sales from Canada to the Saudi Arabia dictatorship for war and aggression in the Middle East using Ukraine as a transit, as well as to potentially increase the share of the global arms trade by Pratt & Whitney, Esterline GMC Electronics and other private arms monopolies” | Investigation by TONY SEED

Merchants of Death – Lithograph by Mabel Dwight

(May 20, Revised August 25, 2017) – One of the main features of the Defence Agreement between Canada and Ukraine signed on April 3, 2017 are neo-liberal arrangements regarding arms production and the global arms trade. These arrangements are taking place within the conditions of intensified inter-imperialist rivalry to monopolize the global arms trade and the expansion of the theatre of operations of the U.S.-NATO bloc not only in Eastern Europe but also in the Middle East.

Saudi arms deal: The foreign minister must resign!

No to the arms sales to Saudi Arabia! No to the “new doctrine” called “responsible conviction!”

(April 13) – The Marxist-Leninist Party of Canada condemns Canada’s sale of arms to Saudi Arabia for which this government signed export permits on April 8. No matter what the pretext, these arms sales are unacceptable. By no stretch of the imagination can Saudi Arabia be considered a peaceful or a democratic country as the ministry and Trudeau government claim. Nor can Canada’s mission in the Middle East be considered a peaceful one. This is simply not true.

The example of the arms deal to Saudi Arabia was given by the Foreign Minister in a speech at the University of Ottawa on March 29, to vindicate the new government doctrine called “responsible conviction.” On that occasion, the Minister created the impression that the arms sale was a done deal by the previous Harper government. He said it would not be right for Canada to go back on its signature due to harmful consequences. He repeated that Canada’s aim is to bring stability to the region and advanced various other pragmatic excuses to justify aggression and war.

Now it turns out that Dion signed the papers himself on April 8. He has to be held to account for trying to mislead Canadians on this matter since the beginning of January and again on March 29.

Disinformation on war against Syria and the dogs of war – think tanks, ‘experts’ and media

The U.S. military complex ties of ‘experts’ and think tanks who justify intervention against Syria and Iraq under the pretext of ‘war on terrorism’

The following report by LEE FANG in The Nation documents the military industry ties of selected U.S. media commentators and major think tanks that are participating in media warmongering and disinformation on Syria, Iraq and Islam. They are deliberately paraded as neutral, independent, non-partisan and “third party experts” to confuse the people and put them out of action. Their role is not unique to nor limited to the USA. The disinformation of these American “experts” are also widely broadcast by the media in annexed Canada.