While one admires the rationality of Sue’s thinking, the concept of reducing arms sales while at the same time using organisations like AUSTRADE to promote such products into markets, any markets anywhere, is now well entrenched. Once living off the sheep’s back, but now a miner.
What about our graduates?
Where do they direct their new found expertise?. We don't make anything and import everything we use. At the rate we are going, even our farming land and rural producers are being bought up by well-heeled foreign owners, not to produce food for us, but food for them. Similarly, Japan has been doing the same thing as well, denuding all out timber resources to make wood chips rather than denude their forests. Use Australian trees, they are cheap and they don’t care..

So when we actually make something it is a red letter day. If it happens to be a weapon, great stuff. We have now joined the ranks of the US, UK, France, Germany, Israel and on. We are in there with the big boys but not really a threat to any of them, of course.

What we make wouldn't support a minor fracas even in a little country in South Africa and if anyone ever did a count of weapons in any stockpile anywhere, finding something made in Australia would be most unusual indeed. So I wouldn't fuss too much.

What we shouldn't discourage is the technological development in universities for items such as radar systems, Australian designed and now being utilised on Australian made ships. It may encourage some of our graduates to see a career in science and engineering rather than migrate to a country that gives encouragement to such activities. That is the way it is, sadly.

So in a weapons trade show, we are much more likely to be the buyer rather than the seller. However, we do have some clever people in academia but the priority seems to be clear. If it is a weapon it may get research funding.

Anything else will be hived off overseas or die on the vine.

Media Release 21 September, 2010
The Minister for Defence Science and Personnel, the Hon Warren snowdon MP has announced the commencement of one of the world's largest co-ordinated virtual military exercises between Australian, American, British and Canadian defence forces. Mr Snowdon said the Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DSTO) is facilitating Exercise Coalition Virtual Flag.

“It’s a four-day simulation activity designed to provide training, it will also provide a means to evaluate planning for joint combat missions,” the Minister said.

“RAAF pilots will fly in high-end exercises from DSTO’s newly enhanced Air Operations Simulation Centre in Melbourne.

“DSTO will work around the clock to connect the RAAF to a virtual international network, providing two F/A-18 Hornet cockpits in the centre’s sophisticated simulation cube and dome facilities,” Mr Snowdon said.

He said recent enhancements, including classified and more capable hardware and software components, mean DSTO’s Air Operations Simulation Centre is suitably equipped to support networked coalition forces in advanced simulation and modelling activities.

Mr Snowdon said virtual exercises are a valuable means of determining important combat mission data in an environment that is safer, less expensive and requires fewer resources.

“The outcome of the exercise is expected to benefit participating nations by providing mission-critical information relevant to future deployments.”

The Australian Defence Force’s Joint Combined Training Centre is providing a link between Australian simulation assets and other participating nations.

Coalition Virtual Flag, led by the US Air Force and coordinated across three continents, commenced 20 September

I'm not really sure what the authors argument is here. I understand your wish for peace and demilitarization, however either you believe that the world can exist without any weapons (pointy stick anyone?) or you believe that at least some weapons are needed to ensure defense. Unless you are living in a fantasy world then you would realize at lease some defense is required, otherwise a small group with sticks could overthrow our government. If this is so, then our defense weapons must either be made, or bought. Enter trade.

Perhaps the author could suggest possible ways to influence militarization and defuse regional tensions other than attacking groups that really have nothing to do with the state of the world. Also the author should note that while ending each paragraph with a (to her) clever quip may be entertaining (to her) this sentence is usually utilized for the main thing this article is missing.... the point.

The Arms Trade that underwrites so much ill-capital in the world, is the point here Stezza.

One wonders really, what is worse? People dying one by one [obscured - invisibles], or the threat of the nuclear arms race. Both are an outrage in civilised society. To say it has always been this way is apathy, no less.

Are we aware that Australia is involved in the commercial markets?

"Today, there are no global standards controlling the international trade in conventional arms to help protect human rights. Most governments continue to permit the irresponsible trade in weapons, munitions and other military and policing equipment, inflicting misery and carnage on people in many countries."

"Every year hundreds of thousands of people are killed, injured, raped and forced to flee their homes as a result of armed violence. Amnesty International’s research shows that the majority of grave human rights abuses are committed using small arms, light weapons and other military and policing equipment."

http://www.amnesty.org/en/campaigns/control-arms

Historical look at Australia's role in Arms Trade
http://www.mapw.org.au/australian-issues/australias-arms-industry

More from Google
http://www.google.com.au/#hl=en&biw=1171&bih=749&q=Australia%27s+Arms+Trade&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&oq=&gs_rfai=&fp=f68a59db382cc9e4

http://www.miacat.com/
.

"Today, there are no global standards controlling the international trade in conventional arms to help protect human rights."

Rubbish.

Anyone ever heard of ITAR, International Trade of Arms Regulations?

Mind you, the USA is the only country who adheres to the very stringent rules of this, most everyone else ignore it and trade to anyone with money, thankfully the most technically advanced nation, does not.

Most European countries, UK, Germany do have export laws relating to weapons, as does Australia - our office regarding defence exports is DECO, Defence Export Control Office, in Canberra.

It's not the free for all you all seem to breathlessly imagine.

The trade in such weapons as AK-47 will be all but impossible to stop though, it is such a simple weapon, all you need is a lathe, metal folding press ((easy to make) and an ammo loader. Many shed's and garages in Australia are more than capable of turning out AK-47s.

Geat to see an article on this thanks Sue.

I think that the Asia-Pacific Defence and Security Exhibition (APDSE) that you mentioned was cancelled for Adelaide was the same one that was just held in Brisbane. (At the Convention Centre in South Brisbane)

I went there on Friday with about 15 other protesters. We had a couple of posters and banners that had been made up for previous protests which we set up on the street, and a couple of people dressed up and did a little street theatre. We also sang a few songs.

Trying to keep it light, and figuring that people could make up their own minds how they felt about it, as I tried to hand out flyers on the street I would say, "Major international gathering of arms dealers here today!" and, "All your requirements for a land-based military campaign available here today!"

We were there for about two hours and then a few of us went and had a cup of tea together.

As I handed out flyers I also had the opportunity to talk briefly with a couple of young engineers who work for an Australian company, 'Metal Storm'. I had a picture of one of their weapons and they claimed to have had a hand in designing it. It is a hand held grenade launcher into which you can load three grenades and which can shoot up to four hundred metres.

I thought that the little protest was very positive but it must be said that the peace movement is pretty quiet these days!

I wonder if there was a point to this little story?