Arms length
by Peter Bradwell
Today is a day of action against DESO - the Defence Export Services Organisation. This is the government agency who decides which arms can get sold to where.
So I suppose it can be seen as a regulator - stopping naughty and dangerous people getting naughty and dangerous weaponry - with the stated aim of Defence exports being 'strong export performance by the UK defence industry (to) help the delivery of required defence capability to our armed forces in the most cost-effective manner, while also making sure that we maintain the knowledge and skills in this country that we need for the future'
But the argument is that through a combination of back-scratching networks, the 'revolving door' linking MPs and the arms industry, and the power of money, the list of buyers on the export license lists released by government includes some pretty nasty places.
There was an interesting Observer article about this here, and you can decide for yourself by having a read of the 'Strategic Export Controls' reports at the Foreign and Commonwelath Office's website here. Fans of geopolitical conspiracy theories; peace lovers; military spotters - there's something for everyone. And they make the above argument look pretty compelling.
Campaign Against the Arms Trade have more here about their 'Call The Shots' campaign to challenge the influence on the arms industry on government policy - and some suggestions about how you can get involved today and in the future.
Hannah Lownsbrough
Controlling the export of arms has also been a priority for Amnesty International in the last couple of years. Their Million Faces petition has been organised in partnership with Oxfam and IANSA (International Action Network on Small Arms) as part of the Control Arms campaign, which aims to ensure that governments and private companies are more closely regulated when they sell arms.