War Profiteers News

With all the talk about the financial crisis, the world of war profiteering seems to be business as usual. Deals continue to take place at deadly arms fairs as we report in this issue. I would like to thanks Martin Parr and Magnum Photos for sharing with us the strong images from the arms fair in Abu Dhabi. There are other fairs taking place this year as we also announce – ITEC and DSEI – organisations are already making plans on how to disrupt these events, so please get in touch with them if you want to join in.

On 13 March 2009 in Bilbao in the Basque Country a series of actions took place to denounce the connections between the BBVA bank and the arms industry., during the company's Annual Shareholders Meeting.

By Martin Parr

Un-named Sheikhs browsing the arms fair. Credit: Martin Parr / Magnum photos

In the early morning of March 22, three peace activists were arrested at
Saab Aerospace Systems’ weapons factory in Linköping, Sweden. Martin
Smedjeback, Annika Spalde and Pelle Strindlund were on their way to disarm
Jas 39 Gripen fighter jets intended for export to India, Thailand
and South Africa.

The peace activists, who are all part of the anti-militaristic network
Ofog, entered Saab’s industry area in Linköping, 200 kilometers from the

Each year War Resisters League analyses federal funds outlays as presented in detailed tables in “Analytical Perspectives” of the Budget of the United States Government. The analysis is based on federal funds, which do not include trust funds — such as Social Security — that are raised separately from income taxes for specific purposes. What you pay (or don’t pay) by April 15, 2009, goes to the federal funds portion of the budget.

What do babies and arms sales have in common? Surprisingly, Clarion Events who organise the Baby Show also own and organise Defence Systems and Equipment International (DSEi), the world's largest arms fair, scheduled for September 2009 in London.

Over the weekend anti-arms trade protesters demonstrated outside London's ExCel Centre, venue for both exhibitions. The protest was both against Clarion and the ExCel Centre for agreeing to host the event.

Since the professionalisation of the Spanish army, the army started a campaign to have military presence in the areas of formal and non formal education. The techniques of propaganda used by the Spanish Armed Forces to spread a positive image of itself has changed over the years. Since military service its no longer required, these techniques have used other channels - such as education - and have been directed to other audiences such as children and youth.

Heckler & Koch is the world's second-largest manufacturer of handguns, assault rifles, submachine guns, machine guns and grenade launchers. Their UK HQ is an anonymous unit on an industrial park off Lenton Lane, NG7. It is responsible for selling guns around the world. Half a million people are killed by small arms each year, three quarters of whom are civilians. Literally millions of Heckler & Koch small arms are in use in around 90 countries.

The new arms race in space is shaping up to be the largest industrial project in Earth's history. To pay for this project, the aerospace industry has been lobbying Washington for a dedicated funding source. Budget allocations for missile defense — Star Wars — are only part of the huge sums of money redirected toward preparations for war in space.

April 16 - 18, Seoul.
International Conference against the Asia Pacific Missile Defense and for the End of the Arms Race.
For more information go http://www.space4peace.org/actions/gnconf_2009.htm

May 12 - 14, Brussels. ITEC Arms Fair

For informations of actions against, contact: info (at) veredesactie.be

May 28 -31, Barcelona. European Network Against Arms Trade (ENAAT) Annual Meeting + Trobada de Barcelona.
For more information contact: projectes (at) justiciaipau.org