Published: September 8th 2011 - at 10:15 amLondon Arms Fair: embarrassing for Tories?
contribution by Andrew Gibson
On the 13th-16th September, military delegations and arms companies from around the world will be meeting at London’s Excel Centre.
The biennial Defence & Security Equipment International (DSEi) is one of the largest and most controversial defence exhibitions in Europe, with previous attendees including delegations from Bahrain, Egypt, Indonesia, China and Saudi Arabia.
To get a feel for the event, check out these photos from DSEi 2009
DSEi 2011 could prove embarrassing for the coalition, who have a checkered record on defence exports.
A recent report by The Parliamentary Committee on Arms Export Controls noted that,
…both the present Government and its predecessor misjudged the risk that arms approved for export to certain authoritarian countries in North Africa and the Middle East might be used for internal repression.
The invitation list for next week’s DSEi, when released, will show whether the government has learnt its lesson.
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Reader comments
No pics of the exhibition stand displaying essential equipment for effective interrogation?
@ main picture
Why are they all fat white men wearing light grey suits?
Tony Blair if I remember not long ago fronted an arms fair, it’s not embarrassing for anyone we all know their is money in war, and the way this down turn is going perhaps the leaders will agree to WW£ to pull us all out. (WW3)
This news report was on the BBC website on 18 March last year:
Euro MPs have heard claims that EU companies are exporting equipment used for torture despite legislation aimed at preventing such trade.
Amnesty International has published a report detailing the claims, and was briefing the European Parliament’s Sub-Committee on Human Rights.
The equipment includes thumb-cuffs and devices that give electric shocks.
Amnesty said firms from Germany, the Czech Republic, Spain and Italy were among those trading the items.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/8574209.stm
Must all display models be replicas? Surely it’s illegal to brandish actual firearms in the UK, non?
In those good old days of discipline and deference towards our betters, before societies with modernisation became broken and decadent, our ancestral forebears were more discerning about methods of effective interrogation:
http://www.listaholic.com/12-of-the-most-horrifying-torture-devices-in-history.html
I love the two guys in the middle of the first photo.
They do look dodgy
Ok, I get it.
Having witnessed the depletion of vast sections of the UK’s manufacturing you are suggesting we add arms as well.
Don’t worry our honourable arms exporting allies will be only too happy benefit from your good intentions.
Embarrassing? No.
Reactions: Twitter, blogs
- Liberal Conspiracy
London Arms Fair: embarrassing for Cameron? http://t.co/KozIvR1
- Shaun Gardiner
London Arms Fair: embarrassing for Cameron? http://t.co/KozIvR1
- Just Say Noam
London Arms Fair: embarrassing for Cameron? http://t.co/KozIvR1
- Alex Braithwaite
London Arms Fair: embarrassing for Cameron? http://t.co/KozIvR1
- Matt Sibley
London Arms Fair: embarrassing for Cameron? http://t.co/HZb58nz
- AJ
RT @libcon London Arms Fair: embarrassing for Cameron? http://t.co/yBo6S7i @conservatives
- David McMillan
London Arms Fair: embarrassing for Cameron? | Liberal Conspiracy http://t.co/xHlJYTG via @libcon
- CAAT
London Arms Fair: embarrassing for Cameron? | Liberal Conspiracy http://t.co/dXb8Odz via @libcon
- Stop the Arms Fair!
RT @libcon: London Arms Fair: embarrassing for Cameron? http://t.co/ZhYBNiZ #stopdsei
- Mark Carrigan
London Arms Fair: embarrassing for Tories? | Liberal Conspiracy http://t.co/jEstSRi via @libcon
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