Tag Archives: arms
22 April 2015
The sale of American military hardware is on the rise in the Middle East, reports the New York Times. Defense industry officials notified Congress that Arab allies fighting the Islamic State – Saudi Arabia, the Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, Jordan and Egypt – are set to purchase thousands of American-made missiles and other weapons. Until recently Gulf Nations militaries have been “a combination of something between symbols of deterrence and national flying clubs. Now they’re suddenly being used”, said Richard L. Aboulafia, a defense analyst at the Teal Group. Saudi Arabia has become the world’s fourth largest defense market, spending more than USD 80 billion on weaponry last year, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute tracking global military spending. The Emirates and Qatar have followed suit, the Emirates spending nearly USD 23 billion last year and Qatar signing an USD 11 billion agreement for the purchase of Apache attack helicopters and an air defense system. (more…)
Source: The New York Times | Sale of U.S. Arms Fuels the Wars of Arab States
6 March 2014
All sides in the Syrian civil war are committing war crimes and the world powers bear responsibility for allowing these crimes to endure, stated UN human rights investigators on 5 March 2014. Their latest report on atrocities committed in Syria urges the Security Council to refer grave violations of humanitarian law to the International Criminal Court. It said that ‘the Security Council bears responsibility for allowing the warring parties to violate these rules with impunity.’ The independent investigators said that both sides in the conflict have been supported by the disagreeing world powers and that the diplomatic impasse has worsened the atrocities. They stated that not just the fighters and their commanders can be held accountable for the war crimes, but states which transfer arms to Syria as well.
Source: Reuters | World powers responsible for failing to stop Syria war crimes: U.N.
18 July 2013
The Voice of Russia reported that the Russian appeal to the UN Security Council Sanctions Committee to probe alleged illegal weapons deliveries from Libya, through Turkey and Qatar, to the Syrian opposition, was not supported by the Committee.
Citing a UNHQ source, the report stated that there were doubts in the Sanctions Committee over the wisdom of such requests based solely on media reports. The Russian UN Ambassador Vitaly Churkin appealed to the Committee to request Libya, Qatar and Turkey to provide more information on the arms deliveries reported by the New York Times in June.
Source: Voice of Russia | UN did not support Russia’s initiative to investigate illegal arms deliveries to Syria
18 July 2013
It was reported on Tuesday that Panama has seized a North Korean cargo ship carrying weapons from Cuba. Cuba confirmed late on Tuesday that the arms were bound for North Korea but claimed that the missiles, fighter jets and other arms were obsolete defensive weaponry being sent away for repairs.
The seizure came after a violent stand-off between Panamanian marines and North Korean crew members. The vessel is currently held by Panamanian authorities over suspected breach of UN sanctions on North Korea, and Panama has asked UN investigators to inspect the shipment.
Source: The New York Times | Panama Seizes Korean Ship, and Sugar-Coated Arms Parts
Source: The Guardian | Cuba confirms arms bound for North Korea on ship seized in Panama
Source: Fox News | Panama says North Korean arms shipment a matter for the UN
17 July 2013
The Iraqi Foreign Minister, Hoshyar Zebari was reported stating on Monday that Iraq needed the help of the international community to stop Iranian weapons transfers to the Assad government in Syria that violate UN Security Council resolutions banning weapons imports and exports to and from Iran.
Zebari condemned the use of Iraqi airspace by Iran to conduct the weapons transfers, but emphasized that the Iraqi military could do nothing to stop them and called on the international community to enforce the relevant Security Council resolutions. In 2012, the Iraqi Prime minister, under US pressure, closed the air corridor used by Iran for arms transfers but the flights were renewed shortly, the Jerusalem Post reports.
Source: Reuters | Iraq foreign minister says can't stop Iran arms flights to Syria
Source: The Jerusalem Post | Iraq says Iran weapons flights to Syria cannot be stopped without West's help