Unpossible – international division
The place where Great Britain used to be is the world’s largest arms exporter:
Britain was the world’s biggest arms seller last year, accounting for a third of global arms exports, the Government’s trade promotion organisation said.
UK Trade and Investment (UKTI) said that arms exporters had added Ł9.7 billion in new business last year, giving them a larger share of global arms exports than the United States.
“As demonstrated by this outstanding export performance, the UK has a first-class defence industry, with some of the world’s most technologically sophisticated companies,” Digby Jones, the Minister for Trade and Investment, said.
Unpossible! Since they tell it’s the US who’s responsible for all those guns in other parts of the world. And, ya know, 1 in 6 guns on earth is an AK and neither the US nor UK is big on exporting those.
And it’s kinda funny that the world’s largest exporter of arms is looking at banning pointy sticks, knives and clubs. ’cause those might hurt people.
June 19th, 2008 at 3:23 pm
…Stands to reason, though, since they’ve got shit all for a domestic market (outside of the UK military & police), and not much of a civilian market in the Commonwealth either (Australia, Canada, et. al.).
If you were a British arms maker, you’d *have* to export like mad to keep your proverbial head above water and keep making reasonable returns on investment, or otherwise you’d have to shut down and liquidate your assets.
Britannia I weep for thee.