US, Western European biggest producers of weapons and military hardware: SIPRI Report

Europe, News, US December 23, 2014 , by IRIA No Comments

A recent study by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) shows that the United States and Western European countries were the biggest producers of weapons and military hardware in 2013.

According to the data released by SIPRI during a press conference in the Belgian capital, Brussels, the weapon manufacturing industry was worth 325 billion euros last year, a figure 45 percent higher than it was a decade ago.

The study suggests that the US and Britain were the biggest suppliers of arms in 2013, with France and Italy also playing a major role in the industry.

“Yes, it is very clear that some of the transactions, especially on the international sales level, make it very difficult to see where the money [and] how the money is being employed. But again, companies report their sales and then we estimate the real value of the arms sales in this revenue and we publish it,” SIPRI arms and trade expert Aude Fleurant told the Press TV.

The independent international institute also said that there was a serious lack of transparency and corruption in the global arms industry.

Previous reports show that corruption in the industry is worth about 16 billion euros annually, as American and British weapon manufacturers are supplying arms to countries with records of corruption on government levels.

Meanwhile, analysts and anti-war campaigners say the US, the UK, and France are also the most morally bankrupt nations as far as arms trading is concerned, and that they are willing to provide any country with military hardware in return for the right price.

The US and the UK have been slammed for supplying arms to the Israeli regime, which repeatedly carries out deadly attacks against Palestinians, and a number of African countries with poor human rights records.

SZH/HJL/MHB