A recent analysis in China's Global Times detailed how the U.S. employs the sale and provision of military hardware - from firearms to armored combat vehicles, warships to warplanes and other military aircraft, missiles (including interceptors) to entire weapons systems - to advance its global geostrategic objectives:
"The Cold War political map is being redrawn. Arms sales are helping the US extend its influence in the Asia-Pacific region and pave the way for a new global hegemony."
"After the Cold War, apart from a few rogue states, the US targeted almost every country in the world for arms sales and is also keen to sell military technology to Russia. High-tech weapons - including missile defense systems - are the main items on the list of US arms sales."
"The US is unabashed about using high-tech weapons to expand its sphere of influence. In Europe, the US has continued to entice Eastern European countries into NATO and to squeeze Russia's traditional sphere of influence." [10]
With the absorption of twelve Eastern European nations into NATO from 1999-2009, Russia in fact has been driven out of the arms markets of its former Warsaw Pact allies. The development of NATO partnerships with Europe's formerly neutral countries has also opened Finland and Sweden to the Pentagon and American weapons concerns. [11]
In 2003 Washington signed a $3.6 billion contract with Poland for 48 F-16 jet fighters which were delivered between 2006 and 2008. The sale was the largest military deal in Poland's history. In 2006 the U.S. struck an agreement to provide Poland with five C-130 Hercules military transport planes.
Earlier this month a senior Polish government official disclosed that U.S. F-16s and Hercules C-130s (with their American crews) would be deployed to his country in addition to those purchased from the U.S.
Last year Romania's defense minister announced plans to acquire 48-54 jet fighters to replace Russian-designed MiG 21 Lancers currently in use "to make the transition to fifth generation equipment" - the Lockheed Martin-produced F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.
"We are currently waiting for the U.S. side to send information on the likely acquisition of several F-16 aircraft," Mihai Stanisoara stated. [12]
After the U.S. exported its 2008 financial crisis to Europe, Romania has scaled back on its plans and is discussing the purchase of 24 used F-16s.
This June Bulgarian Defense Minister Anyu Angelov met with U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates at the Pentagon and their discussions included "the possibility of Bulgaria buying multi-purpose F-16 fighter jets from the US." [13]
The Bulgarian news media stated that a preferential arrangement for obtaining American multirole warplanes would be part of a quid pro quo to allow U.S. interceptor missile facilities to be based in Bulgaria.
Last year Lockheed Martin was awarded a contract to deliver 30 new F-16 combat jets to Turkey.
The Global Times article quoted from earlier mentioned the Asia-Pacific area, where this year began with the U.S. antagonizing China by confirming it would complete a $6.4 billion weapons deal with Taiwan, supplying the latter with 200 Patriot anti-ballistic missiles. [14]
This month Japan released its new National Defense Program Guidelines which detail plans to expand the deployment of U.S.-made Patriot Advanced Capability-3 and ship-based Standard Missile-3 interceptors. [15]
South Korea is also being integrated into the Asia-Pacific and broader international American missile shield system along with Australia and in the not too distant future India.
(Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher).
