2021-05-02
In 2019, US$ 1.9 trillion was spent on military weapons globally. Think of what could be done if such spending could be diverted to the real threats to humanity, like pandemics, climate change, environmental destruction, poverty, etc.
By Shashi Sharma, Agricultural Scientist, with a career in international agricultural research
Humans, the self-acclaimed most intelligent animals on this planet, spend more money to kill other humans than to feed, nurture and safeguard themselves from the real threats to their survival. A report from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute has revealed that global arms spending has steadily increased over the past 20 years to US $1.9 trillion in 2019.
The continued spending of trillions of dollars on arms and wars to kill humans and cause mass destruction is a callous act when people worldwide are battling the Covid-19 pandemic. It is a pity that politicians worldwide readily endorse funds for the procurement of arms and ammunitions but pay little attention to the funding needs of institutions that are critical for safeguarding humans from the real threats to their survival. These threats include but are not limited to outbreaks of harmful organisms such as Covid-19, loss of biodiversity, global warming, rising food insecurity and pollution of natural resources and ecosystems.
It is ironical that the price of even one fighter jet, which is between US$ 94 and 122 million, can meet the annual funding needs of some of these institutions. The cost to operate this plane for just one hour (about $44,000) is equivalent to or greater than the median household annual income in many economically developed nations and several times higher than the median annual household income worldwide. Redirecting even a fraction of global military expenditure would make available resources needed to safeguard humanity from the real threats to survival and provide for primary education, health care, safe drinking water and food for all the people on this planet.
Some nations, the self-appointed guardians of global peace, are front-runners in the manufacturing and global supply of arms to within and between nation conflicts. Wars are initiated by the politicians as heads of governments. It is rather unfortunate that a politician as a head of a nation can order our military servicemen and women to kill other humans who are deemed to be enemies and expose them to the risk of losing their own lives in the war. These killings and mass destructions are more often justified under the facade of protecting national security and maintaining world peace. Some of the common reasons for most of the wars include perceived potential threats, disputes over resources and land, the desire to increase influence and power and the opportunity to divert the attention of people from some real issues that may affect chances of the politicians to remain in power and win elections.
This preposterous state of affairs must change. Global military resources must be redirected and engaged to secure the global citizens from pandemics and other devastating threats. In this era of pandemics, increasing risks of natural calamities and global warming, we must as a priority reconsider what “enemy” or ‘threat’ means to humanity. Such a reassessment is urgently needed as threats that have potential to wipe out humans from the face of the planet are becoming more serious by the day.
Simply put, the global expenditure of $1.9 trillion for arms and ammunitions to kill other humans and cause mass destruction must stop. Time has come for the global citizens to give clear directions to the politicians, the elected heads of nations, and seek embargo on global spending on arms and ammunitions. Instead, spending must increase to combat the real threats, current and emerging, to humanity and to meet the basic needs of all the people on this planet.
Header photo: Nuclear explosion. Credit: Burnt Pineapple Productions at https://flickr.com/photos/51686021@N07/32917995200. Wikimedia Commons
[Opinions expressed are those of the author and not official policy of Greens WA]