The Netherlands Spain Sweden Switzerland Europe is an important exporter of arms. Many of the weapons produced in Europe find their way to areas of conflict all over the world. Sometimes these arms are sold for political reasons, to support one warring party or the other. There are even cases where both parties are supplied by the same country. But just as often, arms are sold from purely commercial motives.
Arms export is a profitable business.
The highly developed high-tech Western arms industries are capable of contributing considerable sums to national income. They offer good job opportunities to specialized technicians and researchers, as well as to blue-collar workers. But they are tainted jobs. Whether they like it or not, the people involved in arms industries and the governments involved in arms exports must expect to be confronted by those who oppose their trade. It is certainly not an ordinary business like selling flowers or cars.