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Every year the
British government spends £ millions of public money on
subsidising arms exports from Britain to corrupt and repressive
regimes around the world.
During
the 1990s the
government spent on average
between £420 million and £990 million a year subsidising arms
exports from Britain.
In 2000 British
firms sold Zimbabwe £1million worth of shotguns, rifles and
military vehicles.
In the same year
Israel bought £12.5 million in military hardware from British
companies.
Many British arms
also end up in some of the world’s bloodiest war zones.
This is why
International Socialist Resistance (ISR) joined the
protests to shut down the DSEi and to stop the arms trade.
No more blood for
oil – End the occupation of Iraq
Britain is the
second largest arms exporter in the world after the US. The
Defence Systems & Equipment International (DSEi) arms fair,
which is taking place in London from the 9th-12th
September, is one of the biggest arms fairs internationally.
Not only have New
Labour, (along with the support of the Tories and Liberals)
encouraged this trade, since 1997 they have also bombed and
invaded several countries including the recent war in Iraq. The
death toll of Iraqi civilians and British and US soldiers is
rising every day and the country’s infrastructure continues to
erode under the chaos of the US and UK occupation. This war has
been for control of the oil resources in Iraq – and the pursuit
of power and prestige by
US imperialism.
Money for
education, jobs and homes – not war
It is the people of
Iraq and other war-torn countries internationally who are paying
for the profits of the arms trade with their lives. And working
class people of countries such as Britain are being forced to
pay for this economically.
As well as the
government subsidies to the arms trade, up to £4billion has been
put aside to pay for the war on Iraq – much of this has already
been spent.
While New Labour
are attacking the rights of refugees and asylum seekers who come
to Britain, their support for the arms trade is making the
refugee crisis worse by encouraging wars and supporting
dictatorships.
The arms industry
should be taken out of the hands of private companies into
public ownership. Instead of producing weapons the skills and
technology in the arms industry should be used to make things we
need. Like education, health care, affordable housing and
technology which benefits the world.
Against capitalism
- For a socialist alternative
ISR believes that
to end the problems facing humanity such as poverty, war and the
destruction of the environment we need a different sort of
society; socialism. Socialism would mean that the vast resources
and wealth in society could be democratically planned and used
for the benefit of all, instead of a small minority.
Join ISR
ISR is an
international anti-capitalist organisation run by and for young
people with groups throughout Europe, Latin America, Africa and
Asia. We are helping to build many campaigns including against
war and the arms trade.
To join ISR or to
find out more fill in the box below or phone 020 8558 7947 or
e-mail us at: anticapitalism@hotmail.co.uk.
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ISR
demands |
Stop the arms trade!
Stop British corporations selling weapons of mass
destruction.
For further information, please contact
us. |
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Stop the arms trade
