-Caveat Lector-
>From http://www.cdi.org/terrorism/arms-exports-pr.cfm
>>>Now, this seems to be a no-brainer. After the fall of the USSR,
it might have seemed all too easy to just cut the arms supplies off
(except for the military-industrial complex loss of profits). But,
when one is addicted ... Bill Jeff's crewe should have understood
that the situation with splinter groups emerging from military-style
training could even happen in the U.S., given McVeigh (and whoever
else was in on the mission), Rudolph, and perhaps even his own
ATF/FBI rogues. A<>E<>R <<<
}}}>Begin
A Risky Business:
U.S. Arms Exports to Countries Where Terror Thrives
Nov. 30, 2001
View Standard Version
As the war on terrorism moves into its next phase, the United States
continues to build its campaign upon an international coalition
against terrorism. The administration of President George W. Bush has
partnered with countries that are participating in varying degrees of
military, political, economic, and diplomatic cooperation to stamp
out terrorism worldwide. As part of this cooperative effort, the Bush
administration has expressed a willingness to provide weapons to
countries that, in the past, have been criticized for human rights
violations, lack of democracy, and even support of terrorism.
While there may be understandable short-term reasons for considering
such a shift in U.S. arms export policy, there also are long-term
risks.
There are 28 terrorist groups currently operating in 18 countries,
according to the State Department's bi-annual list of active foreign
terrorist organizations (see below). The United States does not arm
these groups directly, but weapons sales and other forms of U.S.
military assistance (training, etc.) freely flow to many of the
countries within which these groups are active. In some cases, the
U.S. supplies arms to these countries to assist in the fight against
internal terrorist organizations, such as in Spain. In other
countries, however, governments, in countries such as Saudi Arabia,
are doing little to stem the activities of terrorist cells within a
country's borders that are organizing to commit foreign terrorist
activities.
In the period of 1990-1999, the United States supplied 16 of the 18
countries on the State Department list with arms through the
government-to-government sales under the Foreign Military Sales (FMS)
program, or through industry contracted Direct Commercial Sales (DCS)
programs, or with military assistance. Recipients included Algeria,
Iraq, Lebanon, and Sri Lanka (see below), where, arguably, the risk
of diversion is high. In addition, the U.S. military (and the CIA)
has trained the forces of many of these 18 countries in U.S. war
fighting tactics, in some cases including individuals now involved in
terrorism.
Of additional concern is that some countries receiving U.S. weapons
and/or training continue to recruit children for their official armed
forces, and many of the terrorist groups residing in those states
rely on children as combatants (see below). Thus, United States is
supplying arms and military aid to countries where children are used
as soldiers. Indeed, the Stinger anti-aircraft missiles being used in
Afghanistan were supplied by the U.S. government, in order to help
the mujahidin during their war with to oust the Soviet Union from the
country. And both the Taliban and Northern Alliance have used
children in their ranks for years.
As the Bush administration seeks to allow arms sales and/or training
to countries whose assistance is needed in the new U.S. war, policy-
makers must be aware of the risks. Partners today may not be on the
same side tomorrow.
In addition, as the circle of potential recipients widens, the U.S.
government immediately should move to strengthen controls, such as
end-use monitoring, to ensure that U.S. weapons and know-how remain
in the hands of the intended parties. Such end-use monitoring
traditionally has not been a strong suit. In FY 2000, for example the
State Department conducted end-use checks on only 0.005 percent of
all defense articles licensed by the Office of Defense Trade Controls
(DTC).
The U.S. government further should be wary of ignoring its own export
control laws and policies in conducting the campaign against
terrorism. The regulations in the Foreign Assistance Act and Arms
Export Control Act were developed to ensure that U.S. weapons went
into the hands of only desirable actors. U.S. policy was crafted to
ensure that weapon exports should not undermine long-term security
and stability, weaken democratic movements, support military coups,
escalate arms races, exacerbate ongoing conflicts, cause arms build-
ups in unstable regions, or be used to commit human rights abuses.
Clearly, some U.S. arms exports over the past decade have undermined
at least the spirit of these criteria. At this point, it is
imperative that Washington re-examine its export record, especially
with respect to the 18 countries where terror groups continue to do
business, and take measures to ensure that American soldiers do not,
sometime in the near future, find themselves facing down terrorists
armed with U.S. weapons.
Rachel Stohl
CDI Senior Analyst
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Below is the list of the 18 countries and 28 terrorist groups cited
by the State Department as hotbeds of terrorist activity. Included in
the list is a chronology of U.S. arms sales and training from 1990-
1999 and information on use of child soldiers by governments and non-
state actors in each country.
>>>Beyond this point is the aforementioned list in nifty charts and
such. A<>E<>R<<<
End<{{{
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