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Title: Global arms proliferation

Journal Article · · IEEE Spectrum (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers); (United States)
OSTI ID:5335983

This paper reports that the United States delivered some US $11 billion of military hardware to Iran between 1969 and 1979, in the hopes of helping stabilize a volatile situation in the Middle East. That did not work. When Iran used the weapons against Iraq, the USSR, France, and a number of developing countries helped arm Iraq. It was this vast arsenal that Iraq deployed in its Kuwait-Persian Gulf War venture. Granted, those weapons were augmented by some U.S.-made equipment like TOW antitank missiles and Hawk antiaircraft missiles that were captured in the Iraqi attack on Kuwait. A report issued by the U.S. Office of Technology Assessment (OTA) in June cited that chain of events to demonstrate that the U.S. and other major exporters are gradually losing control of the weapons transferred (to other countries) as well as the technology and industry necessary to produce and support them.

OSTI ID:
5335983
Journal Information:
IEEE Spectrum (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers); (United States), Vol. 28:9; ISSN 0018-9235
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English