The United States sells death and destruction as a fundamental instrument of its foreign policy.

[spanone]

~snip~

The largest Third World buyer of weapons in 2006 was Pakistan. It purchased just over $5 billion in arms. Almost $3 billion of its purchases were new US-made F-16 fighter jets, upgrades to the F-16s Pakistan bought in the 1980s, and bombs and missiles to arm these planes. A White House press spokesman explained that the sale of the jet fighters “demonstrates our commitment to a long-term relationship with Pakistan”.

http://www.atimes.com/atimes/South_Asia/IJ12Df01.html

[L. Coyote]

1. Now, a la Saddam, to ensure is the control of the regime, or we are arming enemies

The thing about arming nations that is outside control of the arms dealer is regime control. If the government changes, we have armed our enemy, like Saddam. When will we ever learn?

[spanone]

2. yes, i'm sure they are using american made weapons on their own people...winning hearts & minds

[Rageneau]

3. The USA has become a violent, war-mongering, greedy nation.

And I lay all of the blame for that on Conservative Republicans -- ususally those with investments in 'defense' industries and mainstream media.

I SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO want to love and revere my country again.

But conservative Republicans have all but ruined my chance of ever doing that.