Full Description
Although there is often opposition to individual wars, most people continue to believe that the arms industry is necessary in some form: to safeguard our security, provide jobs and stimulate the economy. Not only conservatives, but many progressives and liberals, support it for these reasons.
Indefensible puts forward a devastating challenge to this conventional wisdom, which has normalised the existence of the most savage weapons of mass destruction ever known. It is the essential handbook for those who want to debunk the arguments of the industry and its supporters: deploying case studies, statistics and irrefutable evidence to demonstrate they are fundamentally flawed, both factually and logically.
Far from protecting us, the book shows how the arms trade undermines our security by fanning the flames of war, terrorism and global instability. In countering these myths, the book points to ways in which we can combat the arms trade's malignant influence, reclaim our democracies and reshape our economies.
Contents
Indefensible: Setting the Scene
Introduction
Section 1: There Is No Problem
Myth 1: Higher Defense Spending Equals Increased Security
Myth 2: Military Spending Is Driven by Security Concerns
Myth 3: We Can Control Where Weapons End Up and How They Are Used
Myth 4: The Defense Industry Is a Key Contributor to National Economies
Myth 5: Corruption in the Arms Trade Is Only a Problem in Developing Countries
Myth 6: National Security Requires Blanket Secrecy
Section 2: The Arms Trade Can't Be Beaten
Myth 7: Now Is Not the Time
Conclusion: Change Is Possible
