U.S. arms exports up 13 percent over 2017 as Trump champions deals

 

U.S. President Donald Trump addresses a news conference following Tuesday's midterm congressional elections at the White House in Washington, U.S., November 7, 2018. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. arms sales to foreign governments rose 13 percent to $192.3 billion (£147.2 billion) in the year ending Sept. 30, the State Department said on Thursday, a result of looser restrictions on sales coupled with high-level efforts to close deals.

 

President Donald Trump wants to make the United States, already dominant in the global weapons trade, an even bigger arms merchant to the world, U.S. officials have said, despite concerns among human rights and arms control advocates.

 

The largest U.S. arms contractors, who sell ships, tanks, airplanes, missiles and other goods to foreign militaries, include Boeing Co, Lockheed Martin Corp, Raytheon Co, General Dynamics Corp and Northrop Grumman Corp.

 

The increase came in part because the Trump administration rolled out a new "Buy American" plan in April that relaxed restrictions on sales while encouraging U.S. officials to take a bigger role in increasing business overseas for the U.S. weapons industry.

 

There are two major ways foreign governments purchase arms from U.S. companies: direct commercial sales, negotiated between a government and a company; and foreign military sales, in which a foreign government works with the Pentagon on a potential deal. Both require approval by the U.S. government.

 

Commercial sales of U.S. military equipment to foreign governments rose 6.6 percent from $128.1 billion to $136.6 billion in the fiscal year, the State Department said.

 

In October, the government said U.S. foreign military sales rose 33 percent to $55.6 billion in the fiscal year.

 

Combined, the total is a 13 percent year-on-year increase in weapons exports.

 

(Reporting by Mike Stone in Washington D.C.; Editing by Dan Grebler)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2018-11-09

War to the world! Ain't that something to be proud of, yee haaa! Git er dun!

The supplier of death and destruction on a worldwide scale. Not sure I would take pride in that. With yesterdays news of yet another mass shooting it would seem that the population are as convinced as the govt that weapons are wonderful. The more the better it would seem.

3 minutes ago, Lungstib said:

The supplier of death and destruction on a worldwide scale. Not sure I would take pride in that. With yesterdays news of yet another mass shooting it would seem that the population are as convinced as the govt that weapons are wonderful. The more the better it would seem.

Yes, the domestic market is well supplied...………...Wherrrrrre's ma gurn!

Posts removed for Fair Use Policy.  

"War! huh... What is it good for?" (to quote Edwin Star) umm jobs jobs jobs! That's $192 billion that won't be spent on health care, education, infrastructure abroad. But hey, jobs jobs jobs....

ARMS .... The largest industry in the world.

Eve of Destruction, by singer/songwriter Barry McGuire, 1965. Psychic or what!

Draining the swap them.... knew it would be business as usual

...guess certain 'people' will move to award him with the Nobel Peace Prize next...???

 

...not sure the decimated Yemenis would concur....???

Love the irony of selling arms for destruction and then having serious concerns about refugees/immigration. Duh....

5 minutes ago, car720 said:

The really big question is..................

Why is anyone surprised?

I am surprised at how they can keep a straight face while lecturing the world on democracy or human rights.

Or climate warming..

Edited November 9, 20187 yr by mauGR1

26 minutes ago, car720 said:

It is called "America's interests".  

Yep.... and double bonus points for sending contractors in afterwards, to rebuild post destruction.... 

Forcing governments to buy them, just as he is trying to force Americans to use more coal and oil.  What a great douche ????

MAGA...                                               (sarc)

Many of the refugees come from the countries where the US is involved in military action.   Those huge numbers of Vietnamese that were still coming to the US (as well as many other Western Countries) is one example.   Many of the Middle Eastern people in the US came due to the Iraq wars.   

 

Arms sales are directly related to it, but military incursions cause people to flee.   

Not surprising but still depressing.