Atelier 2, article 2


© Steven Lee Myers : (IHT, Aug. 22, 2000)

"Arms Sales Take Jump, With US at Forefront"

Washinginton--International arms sales surged last year to nearly $30.3 billion, the highest level since 1996, and the United States solidified its position as the world’s biggest arms dealer, acording to a government report.

The report by Congressional Research Service, as arm of the Library of Congress, showed that US contractors sold nearly $11.8 billion in weapons in 1999 -over a third of the world’s total and more than all European countries combined.

US arms sales, like those worldwide were still far below the peaks reached in the afgtermath of the Gulf War in 1991, but the United States has steadily increased its sales in the last few years, from $7.7 billion in 1997 and $10.3 billion in 1998, the report said.

"Obviously, the United States’ position has bgeen consolitated as the leading weapons supplier -both for the world as a whole and for the developing countries," said Richard Grimmett, an analyst who wrote the report, which is updated each year.

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