Arms Trade In The Middle East Is Booming

Photo, taken on Feb. 20, 2011, shows staff of the Aerospace Long-March International Trade Company of China introducing M20 surface-to-surface guided-missile systems to visitors in the International Defense Exhibition (IDEX) in Abu Dhabi, capital of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The International Defense Exhibition (IDEX) 2011 and the first Navy Defense Exhibition were held in Abu Dhabi’s national exhibition center. The Chinese contingent was made up of 17 military trade enterprises and companies that attended this exhibition. (Source: Xinhua/An Jiang)

Abu Dhabi Arms Fair: Tanks, Guns, Teargas And Trade At Idex 2011 -- The Guardian

British firms are still selling crowd control weapons despite the government having revoked 44 licences.

As fighter jets screamed overhead and tanks churned up the sand, it looked and sounded like the violent protests sweeping the Middle East had spread to the wealthy emirate of Abu Dhabi.

But this was Idex 2011, the Middle East's biggest arms fair. The show of arms was choreographed for the benefit of thousands of arms dealers in dark suits and sunglasses, who marvelled at how it was all synchronised to a booming hip-hop soundtrack.

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More News On The Growing Arms Market In The Middle East

Western arms makers eye lucrative Mideast market -- AFP
Defense firms eye billion dollar Mideast deals -- Reuters
As protests crackdowns continue, West lines up to sell arms -- The Telegraph
$7 bn UAE missile deal expected this spring -- AFP
U.K. Liam Fox defends Mideast arms sales -- The Independent
17 Chinese exhibitors at Abu Dhabi International Defense -- China.org
Chinese defense products debut at Abu Dhabi exhibition -- People's Daily Online
Analysis: Unrest clouds outlook for arms sales to Mideast -- Reuters