Britain saw £9.7 billion in new business last year, thanks to its role as the world's biggest arms exporter. The country's Minster for Trade and Investment boasted that the achievement highlights that the UK has "some of the world's most technologically sophisticated companies." Britain beat out the US, who was the five-time defending defense champion, as well as Russia.
One British citizen offered his two pence on the London Times website: "It is a sorry state of affairs that a country that sent its own troops into Iraq on the premise of removing 'weapons of mass destruction' is the largest exporter of those weapons around the world." Do you see any hypocrisy?
Meanwhile, Barack Obama seems content on letting Britain win the weapon crown from now on. In a video for the Caucus4Priorities, Obama says he will slow the development of new combat systems and will not weaponize space. Obama explains that as president he would set a goal of a world without nuclear weapons; America would lead the way by not developing any new nukes itself. Obama says his sole priority for defense spending would be protecting Americans, not defense contractors.
Do you think Obama's attitude toward defense will protect or endanger America? Is he brilliant or naive?
To see a very pacifistic Obama explain his views, read more.
Get Flash to see this player.
Alexander McQueen
Peacocks
American Vintage
He's brilliant.
1very pacifistic? -- Liberty, for someone who's seen as the liberal poster around here, you're either crazy for waving that red flag in front of some of the crowd here or secretly you want to see them skewer Obama.
And are brilliant and naive our choices? How about reasonable?
2And congrats to the Brits for moving into the number 1 spot - they can take our place in line for hell.
3Where will our billionaires siphon untold millios if not from corrupt defense contractors?
4Liberty's a mouthpiece for the Bush administration! Someone tell the Huffington Post!
5Who the hell needs new nuclear weapons when it would only take a handful to cause a nuclear winter?
Over all I think Sen. Obama is basically saying he's going to be strategic in his defense spending and avoid developing technologies which will only spurn a new arms race. We don't need another arms race. What we need is a diplomacy race.
6In case there is any uncertainty — I think that putting America's interest before the interest of well-connected defense contractors is brilliant and reasonable. How we pursue that priority is up for debate, and I want to hear what you all think!
7Speaking of if anyone has not seen Lor of War with Nicolas Cage. Mr. Owl says watch it.
8*Lord of War
9How exactly DO YOU weaponize space?
When I hear that I picture little green men with machine guns.
10Satellites with laser guns.
11He didn't mention whether or not we need to spend less defense funds on frickin' sharks with frickin' laser beams attached to their heads.
Until he addresses the issue I'm sticking with McCain.
12Huh? Sharks...laser beams?????
13Sorry. I was feeling hyper and when I get like that I make too many weird pop culture references. You know how in Austin Powers Dr. Evil wants some frickin' sharks with frickin' laser beams attached to their frickin' heads?
14Oh I see. Havn't seen the movie but understand the reference now.
15Great!
16I've always wanted a laser beam. If I can have it in space it would be awesome. Where to get it?
17Sarah, that was a very good impression. I could hear it perfectly in my head...especially the "frickin" part!
Mr. Owl said:
"Over all I think Sen. Obama is basically saying he's going to be strategic in his defense spending and avoid developing technologies which will only spurn a new arms race. We don't need another arms race. What we need is a diplomacy race."
I agree with Obama and the Owl.
18I have to say I am missing buff arm muscles right about now, hypno! If your man doesn't want to flex for us anymore, you have to!
I totally just harrassed you. Sorry if it made you feel uncomfortable! I feel like a
19Let me know when you've got a good gander Jill, then I'll have turn back into an Owl.
20Wow Jill. I thought only Cab and I harassed Hypno.
21Oh and to answer your question I think it will endanger America and is extremely naive.
Now I have to go make dinner.
22How can you not harass hypno when he shows off that manjoyment?
23He really is a show off
K now I am really going to make dinner!
24Girrl let me tell you that is one amusement park that gives free rides, LOL.
25I love a cheap thrill!
26Actually, Cine, this is an area where McCain and Obama appear to agree. In McCain's foreign policy speech he said:
"We should work to reduce our nuclear arsenals around the world, starting with our own. Forty years ago, the five declared nuclear powers came together in support of the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty and pledged to end the arms race and move toward nuclear disarmament. The time has come to renew that commitment. We do not need all the weapons currently in our arsenal. The United States should lead a global effort at nuclear disarmament consistent with our vital interests and the cause of peace."
(Obama had stated his position long before McCain's speech, but I don't think their opinions are based on one anothers, even though there is a lot of common ground).
27Thank you for the comparison, Jill!
28No problem!
29I would disagree Jill, I think we need all our weapons. That way, we can sell off a few thousand (to various crazy dictators who hold our loans), and still have enough for our defense
30Whenever I think of the nuclear arms race, I think of that Butter Battle Book by Dr. Seuss, and then I just get hungry.
Is that really awful of me? I can't help it...there is something so delicious about just plain old bread and butter.
31When I think of bread and butter, I think of bread with chocalate chips, and then I get the front of my shirt wet with drool.
32But if we stop developing the technology, even just to study it, how will we know how to react when it all hits the fan?
Our enemies will not stop developing them. We need to be a step ahead.
33If it comes out of Obama's mouth, it must be bad. That's my new mantra.
34Pop!
35There must be something in the air.
Our enemies used 19 cent box cutters and all our defense technology couldn't stop that. So tell me what nuclear warheads are going to do?
36Well maybe if we were allowed to use our intelligence agencies to their fullest extent we could prevent things like that.
37The only way a nuke helps us is if we know a general area that our enemies are (Pakistan), and we have a willingness to use those weapons to destroy that area, killing everyone in that area.
I don't recomend that BTW..
38Cabaker he calls for an independent Defense Priorities Board. Sounds like he would be making it a priority to make sure our intelligence agencies are being efficient, productive, and utilized.
39Cabaker: Technology used in military weapons does not necessarily have to have its debut as a weapon. It can be used in other modes of technology. For instance MRI technology came about after being developed for military use. Why can't it be the opposite technology being focus towards civil uses? If we need it for military use it's still there.
40That's a great theory hypno, but that's rarely the practice. Most of the great inventions came from military research.
41You guys, have you read A Canticle for Liebowitz? I just finished it yesterday. And have any of you read The Road. OMG.
42These books are great reading for this topic. Both novels.
Never mind, I take it back about The Road. It is too horrible and powerful. I have not been able to get it out of my mind, for months. And I don't want to do that to any of you.
43You're right UnDave it is rarely the practice and I wouldn't say most but I would agree that many inventions have come from military research.
This is my point new technology doesn't necessarily have to be born out of research focused at producing a weapon. It's about changing priorities and focus. If we are as you suggest to be bound by the chains of status quo simply because it’s the way it's been done. We might as well through our hands up and say why bother. We were gifted with human ingenuity for a reason to learn from our mistakes. I suggest we use it.
As for the security of the United States Sen. Obama is not suggesting a complete halt on weapons research and development. That would be reckless and irresponsible and would make me give my vote to Sen. McCain. He understands that just as the U.S. leads in so many other areas we have also lead in the proliferation of weapons around the world. To continue to submit to such a standard which is nothing short of a crime against humanity simply because it's the track we're on and the track we've been on is not leadership, its indifference at its worst.
44Cabaker: "Well maybe if we were allowed to use our intelligence agencies to their fullest extent we could prevent things like that."
If all this torture and illegal detention is your idea of restraint, I'd hate to see your vision of having intelligence agencies use their 'full extent'.
45I draw the line between military research and developing nuclear warheads. Nuclear warheads for the use in combat should be halted if we want any of our enemies or even neutral countries to do so as well. But when it comes to science, and intelligence we need to be on top both now and in the future. It's important that the new President states he will not militarize space, because the Chinese and the North Koreans are getting real paranoid on that subject. And before we know it another technological cold war could develop.
I don't know all that much about space warfare, but I do know that if the Chinese (I'm using them because they have been testing exactly this quite recently) shoot down out satellites either containing say sensitive material or one that controls public/private services it could be an attack on our national safety. Both the US and the Chinese have been acquiring and tested these technologies. The US did it to a satellite that (they said) was going to crash with another satellite or do some other damage(someone here remember precisely?). I don't think the Chinese took their word for it, though there is no way for me to know whether it was a just cause, or if they were in fact just testing their stuff, which they heavily criticized China for doing not long ago.
But again, Obama isn't saying we are going to stop researching and developing technology, he is saying we should set an example and not develop nuclear warheads if we want others, especially our enemies, to stop too.
46out - our
47"all this"?
you mean the MILLIONS upon MILLIONS of people that we detain and torture...
48tresjolie - Are we still building nuclear warheads? I thought we had stopped making those when we realized that we could destroy the world 3 times over.
49Cab - Raci doesn't understand the differnce between intelligence gathering and torture. I agree with you that we also nned to get our intelligence agencies to work together, not in competition with each other.
50Post New Comment
Please share your opinion with our community, but make sure it is on topic and follows our Community Rules. We moderate comments and prohibit personal attacks, threats, spam, lewd images, or the promotion of your personal website.