Big surprise: US lead global arms trading up 20% during recent Bush-Cheney.

[Billy]

World arms trade up 20% in five years, says peace research group
Richard Norton-Taylor
The Guardian, Monday 27 April 2009

The arms trade has expanded by more than 20% worldwide in the past five years, with the Middle East and Asian countries accounting for most of the increase, according to figures to be released today by the authoritative Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (Sipri).

The US was by far the largest arms supplier, accounting for 31% of global weapons exports over the past five years, with over a third going to the Middle East. The US also supplied 40% of Pakistan's major conventional weapons systems.