In 2006, the United States agreed to sell $10.3 billion in weapons to the developing world, or 35.8 percent of these deals worldwide, according to the study. Russia was second with $8.1 billion, or 28.1 percent, and Britain was third with $3.1 billion, or 10.8 percent.

Pakistan concluded $5.1 billion in agreements to buy arms in 2006. That total was followed by India with $3.5 billion in agreements and Saudi Arabia with $3.2 billion in deals.

The combined value of arms sales worldwide to both developed and developing nations in 2006 reached $40.3 billion, a decline of nearly 13 percent from 2005.

When combining totals for arms sales to developed and developing nations, the ranking of world arms dealers remained the same. The United States led with $16.9 billion, followed by Russia with $8.7 billion and Britain with $3.1 billion. The 2006 sales figures for all three nations were higher than their totals in 2005.

DownWithTyranny already responded as I would:

War is big business and from George Washington to Dwight Eisenhower, we as a people have been warned about not allowing the military-industrial complex to have undo power. Now we’re in a situation where the military-industrial complex– of which the Republican Party and a good chunk of the Democratic Party is a subsidiary (see Rahm Emanuel’s disgraceful appearance on Bill Maher’s show)– allows the citizens of this country very little influence. As a people we are a disgrace ourselves; we’ve allowed our liberty and our dignity to slip out of our hands while we watched Monday Night Football.

Meanwhile Congress Quietly Approves Billions More for Iraq War and of course, Dems will stay in Iraq.

Bleahhck! Here, have a palate cleanser.