Spring Has Once Again Arrived for U.S. Arms Dealers

India was Obama’s first stop on his four-country Asian tour. “Open market” and “build stronger U.S.-India ties” were the key words used in American mainstream media coverage and reviews, along with “keeping an eye on China” — allegedly, in observance of how roping in India will affect China on the one hand and also China’s reaction on the other.

Other key words are: to give a “gift of arms.”

According to reports, the Indian air force plans to purchase 10 C-17 military transport aircraft worth $4.5 billion, as well as 107 F414 jet engines worth $800 million. Some say that the Obama administration is strengthening relations with India and sending the country a “gift of arms” to “cultivate” India into an important bargaining chip to counterbalance China. This is deceptive, not only because is it a scheme to provoke China and India, but it is also showing disrespect to India, a long-term pursuer of nonalignment. Nevertheless, India has a grasp of the situation and knows what to do, as does China.

In fact, the United States did not give a “gift of arms” to India, and India also did not give the U.S. any kind of “gift,” but the U.S. government gave American arms dealers a “gift,” by bringing them a new spring.

Since the economic crisis in 2008, economic recovery in the U.S has been weak. But arms dealers are still living a “happy spring.” Depending on Obama’s blossoming “New Deal diplomacy” this year, they have already received a considerable number of “gifts of arms.” Not long ago, the United States gave Saudi Arabia a package deal for military equipment worth $60 billion, which can be called “the big gift basket.” This arms trade far exceeds the yearly military expenses of any other superpower. Currently, American-made weapons account for 66 percent of arms imported into Korea. Because of the Cheonan warship incident, South Korea went a step further to buy U.S. arms, which made the American arms dealers ecstatic.