"US Arms Exports and Military Assistance," Apr. 3 (W) at 3:30pm

[Daniel Lake]

 *The Institute for Ethics in Public Life presents "US Arms Exports and
Military Assistance," a hybrid forum (in-person and on Zoom) on Wednesday,
April 3 at 3:30pm.*

Most Americans have paid little attention to US arms sales and foreign
military assistance programs  since the end of the Cold War. During the
Cold War there was more controversy over US arms exports and military
assistance programs because some recipient governments were brutal and
repressive dictatorships, but the end of that conflict also ended most of
those relationships (along with many of those regimes).

The war in Ukraine started to raise awareness about the US role as a major
arms exporter, but the issue had little political salience because the vast
majority of Americans across the political spectrum supported military
assistance to Ukraine. While some isolationist and/or pro-Russian members
of Congress have been able to delay a new aid package to Ukraine, they
represent a relatively small minority of Americans.

The war in Gaza has changed this dynamic. Until 2022, Israel had been the
#1 recipient of US foreign aid for decades, receiving $3.3 billion annually
in foreign military assistance (far more than any other country until
Ukraine). Israel also imports a significant quantity of US ordnance (shells
for artillery and tanks, bombs for aircraft, anti-tank missiles, etc.).
This has become a significant political issue in the US in the wake of the
October 7 attacks by Hamas. In response to those attacks, Israel has waged
full-scale war against Hamas in an effort to completely destroy the
organization. Israel's counterattack against Hamas has destroyed most of
the buildings and infrastructure in Gaza and caused tens of thousands of
Palestinian civilian casualties. The extensive use of American weapons to
do this has raised many important questions about US foreign military
assistance and arms exports.

Topic: Hybrid forum on US foreign military assistance
Time: Apr 3, 2024 03:30 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting
https://plattsburgh.zoom.us/j/92208343515
<https://www.google.com/url?q=https://plattsburgh.zoom.us/j/92208343515&sa=D&source=calendar&ust=1711298505586429&usg=AOvVaw0x470gFCG6UZb0EcvHGeTl>

Meeting ID: 922 0834 3515

-- 

*Daniel Lake*

(pronouns: he/him/his)

Assoc. Prof.  and Chair of Political Science

Director, Institute for Ethics in Public Life

Hawkins 149E

101 Broad Street
<https://maps.google.com/?q=101+Broad+Street+Plattsburgh,+NY+12901&entry=gmail&source=g>

Plattsburgh, NY 12901
<https://maps.google.com/?q=101+Broad+Street+Plattsburgh,+NY+12901&entry=gmail&source=g>

(o) 518-564-5830 <(518)%5645830>

*plattsburgh.edu <http://plattsburgh.edu/>*
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