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the arm trade

Another argument is that our national security depends on military power and supremacy to rule sea, land, sky and space. Arms exports are a useful tool of control over nations with repressive regimes, if they rely on us for weaponry and spare parts. I don't think there is such thing as security and perhaps the great insight we ought to remember in the Christian faith is that we are all vulnerable creatures, utterly dependent on divine grace. What we call security is making us less and less secure. Have any of us ever felt less secure than we do today, even though the fight against global terrorism has tried us to make more secure?

Those who oppose the arms trade say that it fuels wars and wastes lives, natural resources and vast amounts of money. Currently, the worldwide trade in armaments stands at around $55 billion per year: money that could be spent in education, health, housing and transport.

The Church in Africa has made clear statements on the evil of the arms trade, offering other visions for peace and security. The Bishops at the 1994 African Synod were deeply concerned about the proliferation of small and light weapons in Africa "The continent is burning and bleeding in many places… We turn to our Christian brothers and sisters and to all people of good will in the Northern Hemisphere. We request them to intervene with those in responsible political and economic positions in their respective countries as well as those in international organisations. It is imperative that there be a stop to arms sales to groups locked in conflicts in Africa".

There are no weapons producers in Africa; so African leaders must buy their arms outside the continent. The Bishops of Eritrea and Ethiopia had this to say: "In modern war there are no winners; both sides just bomb and kill each other - and where do the bombs come from? Abroad!"