Philosophy
Cluster Bombs
Nothing new about US arms deals but it just appears to defeat an ethical purpose. What a "cash cow".
U.S. arms sales will be little changed in fiscal 2010 but could surge by nearly one-third to $50 billion next year, the Pentagon's chief arms seller told Reuters in an interview.
The U.S. government arms sales for the current year, which ends September 30, are likely to be close to $37.8 billion, said Vice Admiral Jeffrey Wieringa, director of the Pentagon's Defense Security Cooperation Agency.
Sales in the last fiscal year totaled $38.1 billion.
Wieringa, who says he is looking forward to driving his two Corvettes and a jet ski when he retires at the end of the month, had forecast last October at the Dubai air show that weapons sales could reach a record $50 billion this year. Now, he believes that figure is more likely to be hit next year.
"A lot of countries have built up cash reserves and they intend to continue buying," Wieringa said.
The Pentagon agency, which overseas major foreign arms sales, is likely to notify Congress of a large number of arms sales over the next few months, said Wieringa, who oversees 12,995 different arms sales involving 218 countries and retires with total of $300 billion of requests still open.
One deal that has already been included in the Pentagon's accounting of weapons sales is a big sale of Lockheed Martin Corp fighter jets to Israel, which was first approved by the Pentagon in September 2008.
Wieringa said the U.S. government is days away from signing an agreement with Lockheed for an initial purchase of 19 warplanes, with options to buy a total of 75 planes , said Wieringa.
The sale to Israel would be the first foreign military sale of the new warplane to a foreign country outside of the eight partner nations that are helping to develop the plane.
Wieringa has traveled extensively to various countries, logging over 300,000 miles in air travel, with eight separate visits India, a key emerging defense market.
Over the past decade, U.S. arms sales have grown from $8 billion, and they are likely to continue growing in coming years, Wieringa said, noting that a recent major review of defense programs has emphasized the need for greater security cooperation with countries around the world.
Sales to Afghanistan alone totaled nearly $20 billion for fiscal years 2009 through 2011.
Among the biggest potential arms deals on the table now are huge fighter jet competitions in India and Brazil, various modernization programs for Saudi Arabia, and continuing support for arms sales to Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Lebanon.
Wieringa welcomed a drive by Defense Secretary Robert Gates and other departments to reform cumbersome U.S. export laws, saying he had often heard complaints about existing rules.
U.S. defense contractors often complain that U.S. export rules hinder their competitiveness overseas.
Wieringa has worked hard to expand training and staffing for U.S. military and civilian workers involved in global arms sales, boosting his agency's budget from $373 million in fiscal 2007 to an estimated $850 million in the fiscal 2012 budget being drafted now.
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- J. Reece Roth Case--new Trial Appeal
A couple of days ago a reader sent a comment on the J. Reece Roth "Arms Export Control Act" case. Roth was convicted last year and sentencing was to be early in 2009. But things have changed..."A University of Tennessee professor emeritus contends a...
- Yes, The Diamond Issue Again
"Diamond Sales, and Prices, Plunge" by Julia Werdigier February 21st, 2009 New York Times LONDON — Diamonds may be forever, but apparently diamond buyers are more fickle. Tiffany, the famed jewelry chain on Fifth Avenue in New York, is struggling...
Philosophy
Bucks for bombs
Cluster BombsNothing new about US arms deals but it just appears to defeat an ethical purpose. What a "cash cow".
"U.S. arms sales could hit $50 billion next year"
by
Andrea Shalal-Esa
July 20th, 2010
Reuters
by
Andrea Shalal-Esa
July 20th, 2010
Reuters
U.S. arms sales will be little changed in fiscal 2010 but could surge by nearly one-third to $50 billion next year, the Pentagon's chief arms seller told Reuters in an interview.
The U.S. government arms sales for the current year, which ends September 30, are likely to be close to $37.8 billion, said Vice Admiral Jeffrey Wieringa, director of the Pentagon's Defense Security Cooperation Agency.
Sales in the last fiscal year totaled $38.1 billion.
Wieringa, who says he is looking forward to driving his two Corvettes and a jet ski when he retires at the end of the month, had forecast last October at the Dubai air show that weapons sales could reach a record $50 billion this year. Now, he believes that figure is more likely to be hit next year.
"A lot of countries have built up cash reserves and they intend to continue buying," Wieringa said.
The Pentagon agency, which overseas major foreign arms sales, is likely to notify Congress of a large number of arms sales over the next few months, said Wieringa, who oversees 12,995 different arms sales involving 218 countries and retires with total of $300 billion of requests still open.
One deal that has already been included in the Pentagon's accounting of weapons sales is a big sale of Lockheed Martin Corp fighter jets to Israel, which was first approved by the Pentagon in September 2008.
Wieringa said the U.S. government is days away from signing an agreement with Lockheed for an initial purchase of 19 warplanes, with options to buy a total of 75 planes , said Wieringa.
The sale to Israel would be the first foreign military sale of the new warplane to a foreign country outside of the eight partner nations that are helping to develop the plane.
Wieringa has traveled extensively to various countries, logging over 300,000 miles in air travel, with eight separate visits India, a key emerging defense market.
Over the past decade, U.S. arms sales have grown from $8 billion, and they are likely to continue growing in coming years, Wieringa said, noting that a recent major review of defense programs has emphasized the need for greater security cooperation with countries around the world.
Sales to Afghanistan alone totaled nearly $20 billion for fiscal years 2009 through 2011.
Among the biggest potential arms deals on the table now are huge fighter jet competitions in India and Brazil, various modernization programs for Saudi Arabia, and continuing support for arms sales to Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Lebanon.
Wieringa welcomed a drive by Defense Secretary Robert Gates and other departments to reform cumbersome U.S. export laws, saying he had often heard complaints about existing rules.
U.S. defense contractors often complain that U.S. export rules hinder their competitiveness overseas.
Wieringa has worked hard to expand training and staffing for U.S. military and civilian workers involved in global arms sales, boosting his agency's budget from $373 million in fiscal 2007 to an estimated $850 million in the fiscal 2012 budget being drafted now.
- Rip Soupy Sales
Sad news. Soupy Sales just died. He had been in failing health for a while and now joins the Cosmic Comic in comedy heaven. He was a dj, a stand-up, and dance show host before landing the gig that would be his path to comic stardom, children's programming....
- They Knew Better...money Replaced Ethics In The Uk
"Starbucks, Amazon and Google to face UK lawmakers over tax" by Tom Bergin November 12th, 2012 REUTERS UK lawmakers will quiz executives of Starbucks, Google and Amazon on Monday about how they have managed to pay only small amounts of tax in Britain...
- Borders Liquidation Sale...not Quite True
I have seen this before...the furniture store that is quitting business and six months later open a new store two blocks away. I also recall a mom and pop photo store that was going out of business and would spend long hours at night marking everything...
- J. Reece Roth Case--new Trial Appeal
A couple of days ago a reader sent a comment on the J. Reece Roth "Arms Export Control Act" case. Roth was convicted last year and sentencing was to be early in 2009. But things have changed..."A University of Tennessee professor emeritus contends a...
- Yes, The Diamond Issue Again
"Diamond Sales, and Prices, Plunge" by Julia Werdigier February 21st, 2009 New York Times LONDON — Diamonds may be forever, but apparently diamond buyers are more fickle. Tiffany, the famed jewelry chain on Fifth Avenue in New York, is struggling...