STOCKHOLM, Sweden (AP) - Worldwide military spending
rose dramatically in 2003, the Stockholm
International Peace Research Institute said
Wednesday, citing the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq as
the main cause. According to the Stockholm-based
think tank, military spending rose by 11 percent in
2003, or by $956 billion dollars. The group called it
a "remarkable increase." The amount was up 18 percent
from 2001 and 6.5 percent from 2002. "It's very close
to the Cold War peak in 1987," said SIPRI researcher
Elisabeth Skoens, who co-authored the report. The
figure corresponded to 2.7 percent of the world's
gross domestic product. Individually, the United
States led the world in defense spending, accounting
for 47 percent of the $956 billion, followed by Japan
with 5 percent, and Britain, France and China, each
with 4 percent, and the remaining 153 countries
accounting for 36 percent. .......
--- from list heidegger@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx ---
rose dramatically in 2003, the Stockholm
International Peace Research Institute said
Wednesday, citing the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq as
the main cause. According to the Stockholm-based
think tank, military spending rose by 11 percent in
2003, or by $956 billion dollars. The group called it
a "remarkable increase." The amount was up 18 percent
from 2001 and 6.5 percent from 2002. "It's very close
to the Cold War peak in 1987," said SIPRI researcher
Elisabeth Skoens, who co-authored the report. The
figure corresponded to 2.7 percent of the world's
gross domestic product. Individually, the United
States led the world in defense spending, accounting
for 47 percent of the $956 billion, followed by Japan
with 5 percent, and Britain, France and China, each
with 4 percent, and the remaining 153 countries
accounting for 36 percent. .......
--- from list heidegger@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx ---