The Broken Rifle

This issue of The Broken Rifle focuses on the Campaign Against War Profiteers.This campaign has been developing throughout the past year. The Campaign Against War Profiteers is one of the three main areas of focus for the Nonviolence Programme during this period.

WRI is not just committed to resist war but to promote nonviolent action to remove the causes of war this is one reason why part of the new nonviolence programme will be a campaign against war profiteering. And to promote our commitment with nonviolence and antimilitarism. Taking WRI's fundamental critique that "War is a crime against humanity. I am therefore determined no to support any kind of war, and to strive for the removal of all causes of war"

War and tensions imply a very profitable arms race for arms traders. Banks know this well, and are very keen to profit from it. The only problem is uncertainty, which the market doesn't like.

Aug 27- Sep 10: Coulport Disarmament Camp: More information at www.tridentploughshares.org

Sept 10: DSEi, Beat the Bombers! Party for peace. Gather 1pm for location information www.disarmtrade.org/. Cancel the arms fair. 2pm-4:30 pm.

Musical Protest outside the Excel Centre, next to Custom House, DLR Station.

In his Farewell Address in January 1961, American President Dwight D Eisenhower said: "In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military industrial complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist.

We must never let the weight of this combination endanger our liberties or democratic processes. We should take nothing for granted.

For the past year, War Resisters' International has been developing a new Nonviolence Programme. The overarching aim of the Nonviolence Programme is to strengthen and deepen our understanding of nonviolence, nonviolent strategies, and nonviolent campaigning, and to develop and provide tools and support to groups using nonviolence (see Broken Rifle No.65).

One aspect of this work is the development of resources for WRI's Campaign Against War Profiteers.

There are many ways to profit from a war. Some may say that even peace campaigns profit from it! The war profiteers we are talking about here are companies having strategies to make a killing from armed conflicts.

Conventional army suppliers Three main categories are distinguished here: arms traders, equipment suppliers, and companies offering services to armies.

Arms traders must not be forgotten.

The Broken Rifle is the newsletter of War Resisters' International, and is published in English, Spanish, French and German.This is issue 67, September 2005.

This issue of The Broken Rifle was produced by Javier Gárate. Special thanks go to Howard Clark, Tikiri, Frida Berrigan, Joanne Sheehan, and others who provided the information used in this issue. If you want extra copies of this issue of The Broken Rifle, please contact the WRI office, or download it from our website.