President Obama's Record-Breaking Arms Sales Are Enabling Human Rights Abuses
By <http://www.humanrightsfirst.org/biography/meredith-kucherov> Meredith Kucherov During his address to Congress last month, Pope Francis took aim at the arms trade, and the shameful and culpable silence that surrounds it. This wasnt the first time that the Pope had sounded this theme, but the venue gave it special poignancy: the U.S. government is the worlds biggest arms dealer, and President Obama has already sold more weapons to foreign governments than any other U.S. president since World War II. In his first five years in office alone, President Obama has sold more than <https://www.ciponline.org/research/entry/the-obama-arms-bazaar-record-sales -troubling-results> $169 billion worth in arms through the Pentagons Foreign Military Sales program. Adjusted for inflation, thats $30 billion <http://www.democracynow.org/2015/4/7/are_obamas_record_arms_sales_to> more than U.S. arms sales under President George W. Bush. The president came into office promising to end wars and bring American troops home. He has, to some degree, accomplished these goals, yet in the place of conventional warfare President Obama has greatly expanded a legally shaky targeted killing program and covert operations. He is also relying more heavily on the countrys allies to fight terrorism and help the United States pursue its other strategic interests. These countries need weapons; the U.S. government and American arms manufacturers are happy to provide them. But President Obamas virtual arms bazaar is fueling human rights abuses. Under President Obama, the majority of American weapons <https://www.ciponline.org/research/entry/the-obama-arms-bazaar-record-sales -troubling-results> 60 percenthave gone to Middle Eastern governments with poor records on human rights. It would be a different matter if the arms came with conditions, but nearly without exception they dont. The <http://www.democracynow.org/2015/4/7/are_obamas_record_arms_sales_to> biggest benefactor of U.S. arms deals, Saudi Arabia, has used American weaponsincluding cluster munitionsto kill civilians in Yemen, crack down on the pro-democracy movement in Bahrain, and cement an oppressive regime at home. And the official total doesnt include covert operations, like the CIAs shipments of antitank missiles to armed groups in Syria. While the intended recipients have been vetted, Al Qaeda and other extremists have gotten their hands some of these weapons. Promoting human rights is stated goal of the Obama Administration. The President has often said that safeguarding human rights overseas in the national security interests of the United States. Speaking at Clintons Global Initiative last September, he said: Countries that respect human rightsincluding freedom of associationhappen to be our closest partners. That is not an accident. Conversely, when these rights are suppressed, it fuels grievances and a sense of injustice that over time can fuel instability or extremism. So I believe Americas support for civil society is a matter of national security. Arming dictators and governments that disregard the laws of war is fundamentally at odds with this position. When the United States supports abusive regimes, it <http://www.defenseone.com/ideas/2015/04/arming-dictators-will-only-bring-ch aos/109690/> fuels anti-Americanism, undermines the efforts of local human rights activists, and weakens U.S. national security. Next week I'll take a closer look at the regimes benefitting from Obama's Weapons-Mart foreign policy. EM On the 49th Parallel Thé Mulindwas Communication Group "With Yoweri Museveni, Ssabassajja and Dr. Kiiza Besigye, Uganda is in anarchy" Kuungana Mulindwa Mawasiliano Kikundi "Pamoja na Yoweri Museveni, Ssabassajja na Dk. Kiiza Besigye, Uganda ni katika machafuko"
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