Penners One way to show terrorists that theirs is the futile way is to be resolute and carry on as before. Consumers consume, stock market traders trade, arms dealers deal....
Arms Bizarre Private Eye, No. 1037 21 September - 4 October 2001 The time-honoured practice, exposed by the Scott Inquiry into arms for Iraq, of promoting British arms sales to countries that might use them against Britain or her allies continues under "new" Labour. In August foreign secretary Jack Straw named China, India, Syria and Pakistan as countries whose ballistic missile technology justified George Bush's son-of-Star-Wars scheme. Nevertheless, China and India were invited by the ministry of defence to the Defence Sales and Export International (DSEi) conference and arms fair in London's Docklands last week; and Syria and Pakistan were invited by the fair organiser, Spearhead, with the MoD's approval. Lockheed Martin, Raytheon and TRW, three of the main contractors on the Star Wars programme, all exhibited. So did British Aerospace, which hopes to pick up subcontracting work on the scheme. To complete the dotty picture, last July Lockheed was fined $13m by the US government for breaking arms export laws and selling rocket technology to China. Straw had picked out China, India, Pakistan and Syria (alongside four nations that weren't invited: Iran, Iraq, Libya and North Korea) in his "briefing on National Missile Defence" to the parliamentary Labour Party. He said they had or "were moving towards acquiring intercontinental ballistic missiles ... It is difficult to see for what purpose these countries would want an intercontinental missile capability other than to threaten and deter the United States." The DSEi exhibition and conference, Europe's biggest arms fair, was opened by defence secretary Geoff Hoon, who then addressed the delegations from countries that the foreign secretary views as threats. Hoon's MoD wined and dined delegations from Bahrain, Brunei, Jordan, Kuwait, Malaysia, Oman, Sri Lanka, Tunisia, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia. Delegates from these not altogether democratic countries were able to shop for tanks, guns, helicopters, jets, warships and electronic kit. Alongside the Star Wars contractors was a host of high tech firms offering gizmos related to missile and satellite systems, including Roke Manor Research, a British firm which recently announced a product which will detect that symbol of NATO power, the stealth bomber. According to Roke, a Hampshire-based subsidiary of Siemens, its new detection system means "stealthy aircraft will be rendered useless". ===== Michael Keaney Mercuria Business School Martinlaaksontie 36 01620 Vantaa Finland [EMAIL PROTECTED]
