29 August 2008
AN ARMS FAIR ON REMEMBRANCE DAY?
One Trillion Four Hundred Billion Dollars $1 400 000 000 000 is spent every year on keeping the world's militaries armed and deadly.
It seems that Australia is anxious to benefit from this lucrative trade.
The Asia Pacific Defence & Security Exhibition (APDSE) is an international arms fair scheduled to be held in Adelaide, Australia in November 2008.
The choice of Remembrance Day (Nov 11th) when much of the world remembers the millions who have died in armed conflicts especially in the last 100 years as the date for the opening of the fair seems somewhat incongruous.
The fair is being promoted by the South Australian Government as providing "terrific business and investment opportunities" (the words of the SA Premier)
Some points made by the organizers of the fair to attract exhibitors include the following:-
- in 1994-2006 the Asia-Pacific region was the only region globally with an increase in defence expenditure as a percentage of GDP.
- The Asia-Pacific region is forecast to overtake Europe and the Middle East as the largest military market in the world
- A$131 billion of military projects are scheduled in the Asia-Pacific region in the next decade.
- Australia will spend A$31 billion over the next ten years on military projects.
More information and details of a campaign to oppose the exhibition can be found at the Asia Pacific Defence and Security Exhibition website.
It seems that Australia is anxious to benefit from this lucrative trade.
The Asia Pacific Defence & Security Exhibition (APDSE) is an international arms fair scheduled to be held in Adelaide, Australia in November 2008.
The choice of Remembrance Day (Nov 11th) when much of the world remembers the millions who have died in armed conflicts especially in the last 100 years as the date for the opening of the fair seems somewhat incongruous.
The fair is being promoted by the South Australian Government as providing "terrific business and investment opportunities" (the words of the SA Premier)
Some points made by the organizers of the fair to attract exhibitors include the following:-
- in 1994-2006 the Asia-Pacific region was the only region globally with an increase in defence expenditure as a percentage of GDP.
- The Asia-Pacific region is forecast to overtake Europe and the Middle East as the largest military market in the world
- A$131 billion of military projects are scheduled in the Asia-Pacific region in the next decade.
- Australia will spend A$31 billion over the next ten years on military projects.
More information and details of a campaign to oppose the exhibition can be found at the Asia Pacific Defence and Security Exhibition website.
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