Role up, role up: Supermarket of death open for business in Pakistan!
IDEAS (International Defence Exhibition And Seminar) is this week selling "Arms for Peace", special offer period 24-28 November. Representatives from a whole host of 'key' or 'emerging' markets, such as Azerbaijan, China, Nigeria, Sudan, Uzbekistan and Zimbabwe, will be attending with open wallets and abandoned consciences. The fair is an opportunity for those with money to shop for the newest innovations in efficacy and lethality from household names such as Lockheed Martin, Pakistan Ordnance Factories, Raytheon, and Thales. But never fear, the UK won't miss out. Our very own UKTI DSO, with the support of MOD personnel, will be taking a whole host of British companies "under their wing" - a peaceful dove-wing no doubt - and helping them to promote their merchandise and arrange deals.
IDEAS is primarily about establishing the military regime in Pakistan as a supplier in what it sees as an expanding defence market in Asia, the Middle East and Africa. Circumvention is thinly applied for this supermarket of death, with only Israel explicitly identified as an unwelcome customer, though I'm sure India won't be turning up any time soon. The show is not just about Pakistani weapons though. 2004 saw the exciting announcement that the US was henceforth prepared to reverse its previous opposition to selling F-16 jets to Pakistan, they are after all now allies in the 'war on terror'!
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