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US drives world military spending to record high

Global military spending shot to a record high in 2005, with the United States accounting for nearly half the total, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) said on Monday.

Military spending reached $1.5 trillion in 2005 - an increase of 3.4 per cent from 2004, it said in its annual report.

Most of the annual rise was due to increased US spending, which was boosted by conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, but also by the effects of hurricanes Katrina and Rita which hit the United States last year.

"We see a clear rise in arms production, arms trade, as well as a big increase in military expenditure," SIPRI director Alyson Bailes said.

The US is responsible for 48 per cent of the world total, distantly followed by the UK, France, Japan and China with four to five percent each, SIPRI noted.

US President George W Bush's "proclivity" to use military force appeared undiminished and was restrained only by its costly presence in Iraq.

"The Bush administration's proclivity to use force unilaterally seems unchanged, but the Iraqi turmoil prevents it from going beyond occasional hints of further 'pre-emptive' use of force," SIPRI said.

Rising world prices of minerals and fossil fuels freed up resources for military spending in producer countries, boosting purchases by Algeria, Azerbaijan, Russia and Saudi Arabia.

China and India, as emerging economic world powers, also contributed to the spending spree although their purchases were still just a fraction of that of the United States, SIPRI said.

Russia remained the world's top supplier of weapons, a spot it has held since 2001, accounting for around 30 per cent of worldwide weapons sales, followed by the United States, France, Germany and Britain.

Most of Russia's arms exports went to China and India, while the main recipients of US exports were Greece, Israel, Britain and Egypt.

Arms sales by the 100 top worldwide companies rose 15 per cent in 2004, the latest year for which figures are available. Companies in the United States and Europe accounted for most of the amount.

The arms industry had become increasingly concentrated, SIPRI said, with the top five companies doubling their share of the top 100 to a combined 44 per cent from 22 in 2003.

There were 17 major armed conflicts in 2005 in 16 locations, mostly in Asia, the lowest figure since the end of the Cold War.

-AFP




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