The International Arms Trade

by Edward J. Laurance

The events of 1991 in the Persian Gulf, which saw Iraq import enough armaments to defy the major powers, have brought the questions of arms trading to the head of the international agenda. In this text, international relations theory is applied to the transfer of military capability for the purpose of fortifying the national security of sovereign states. The author examines past patterns of arms transfer and the influences of international factors on policymakers. International relations theory is applied to the transfer of military capability for the purpose of fortifying the national security of sovereign states. The author examines past patterns of arms transfer and the influences of international factors on policymakers, in order to show that the arms trade has gone far beyond the control of individual nation states.

288 pages, Hardcover

Published January 1, 1992