The US keeps giving away weapons to just about anyone asking. Unfortunately, it appears we frequently give them to countries that we think are or might be an ally, only to find that we go to war with that country at some future date – against our own weapons.
The latest is of course, Iraq.
In 1982 the US armed Saddam Hussein in Iraq’s fight against Iran. Iraq instigated the war with Iran. It is estimated that anywhere from ½ million to one million people died in that war. Another ½ million became permanent invalids. Over $228 billion was spent and the end result was over $400 billion in damage. The war included indiscriminate missile attacks on cities and civilians. It included the extensive use of chemical weapons. The major sources of the chemicals were DOW Chemical, and the US Department of Commerce. The US, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait aided Saddam Hussein.
The end of this war led to the Gulf War. Saddam Hussein ordered the invasion of Kuwait this time. The same country that had been an ally against Iran. Of course, this time the US was on the side of Kuwait – fighting against weapons provided to Saddam by the US in the 1980’s. The precipitating factor – oil. Saddam thought that Kuwait and the Saudis were siphoning his oil and therefore wanted to cancel out a $30 billion debt. Saudi Arabia ‘asked’ the US for military intervention. This time, weapons were given to Kuwait. Chemical weapons used by Iraq against Iran are now being used against US military.
Upwards of 30% of the weapons provided to Iraq could not be accounted for. It is presumed they found their way to various terrorist factions, including ISIS.
The Afghanistan war found our US military facing off against weapons provided to them during the 1980’s when we allied with them against the Soviets.
IN 2008, the US supplied weapons to Uganda and Burundi, half of which ended up in the hands of Al-Shabaab. Al-Shabaab is a jihadist terrorist group that has pledged allegiance to Al-Qaeda.
In 2012, weapons sent to Qatar and the UAE ended up in the hands of Islamic militants in Libya.
Weapons sent to Syria in support of the rebels fighting against Asad ended up in the hands of ISIS, including weapons parachuted into the country meant for the Kurds.
And now Iraq’s Prime Minister is seeking a ‘sustainable flow of weapons’ from the US with payment ‘deferred’ given the oil price crisis has damaged their economy.
It would seem that we do not learn from our past mistakes, instead we insist that this time … ‘they promised’. In fact we supply quite a hefty load of weapons to Middle East countries including:
UAE $3.7billion
Turkey $2.3billion
Afghanistan $1.06billion
Egypt $976million
Iraq $916million
Saudi Arabia $1billion
Oman $130million
Kuwait $107million
And the list goes on ad nauseam.
When these weapons turn up in the hands of El Nusra, Al Shabaad, Al Qaeda, ISIS, and even Boko Haram, suddenly everyone is mute. US weapons in the hands of Al-Qaeda in Yemen brings shrugs and California valley girl, ”whatever’s’. The oops factor.
Who has nuclear weapons? Russia, China, UK, US, France, Pakistan, India, and Israel are known to possess nuclear weapons. It is a possibility that North Korea, and Iran have a bomb. Countries that have nuclear weapon fuel Kazakhstan, Germany, The Netherlands, Canada, Belgium, Belarus, Japan, Italy, Poland and South Africa.
Saudi Arabia has signed a pact with Pakistan that it will fund their nuclear development and in return Pakistan will provide the Saudis with nuclear warheads. Other Middle East countries pursuing nuclear power include; Turkey, UAE, Jordan, Egypt, Kuwait, Algeria, and Morocco.
Are we concerned?