Dutch weapon exports 'break EU rules'

[DutchGangster69]

The Netherlands approved the export of arms to several countries involved in armed conflict or where there are serious human rights breaches, against EU rules, says the Campaign against the Arms Trade in a new report.

Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Jemen are among the countries buying Dutch arms, the report says. Saudi Arabia, for example, bought €2m-worth of weaponry.

Dutch companies also exported a large amount of night-vision equipment to India, Morocco, Thailand and China and a radar system to the Libyan army.

In addition, the Dutch authorities do not take action when large shipments of arms are uncovered at Rotterdam port or Schiphol airport, the organisation said. In one case, a mass shipment of American munitions was allowed on to Georgia, just weeks before the war against Russia broke out, the report said.

In total, the government licenced arms exports with a value of €1.3bn last year.

[Azure9920]

I can understand a country like say...Libya, or even Pakistan, but why does the EU care if Holland ships arms to the Sauds?

[punamusta]

I can understand a country like say...Libya, or even Pakistan, but why does the EU care if Holland ships arms to the Sauds?

Because of the human right situation in Saudi Arabia. USA is friends with them, but that don't mean anything. There are some very severe human rights violations going on in Saudi Arabia. Check Amnesty's report, for example: http://report2009.amnesty.org/en/region ... udi-arabia

But those EU rules don't really mean nothing. I remember when Finland sold some arms to f*cking Israel 2-3 years ago against the EU rules, and nothing ever happened. People just want to act like they really would care, when in reality they really don't...

[Azure9920]

Because of the human right situation in Saudi Arabia. USA is friends with them, but that don't mean anything. There are some very severe human rights violations going on in Saudi Arabia. Check Amnesty's report, for example: http://report2009.amnesty.org/en/region ... udi-arabia

But those EU rules don't really mean nothing. I remember when Finland sold some arms to f*cking Israel 2-3 years ago against the EU rules, and nothing ever happened. People just want to act like they really would care, when in reality they really don't...

Blahh, the Sauds get a pass when it comes to HR abuses, not that the US has really shown much of an interest in shutting off valuable trade relations over a few incidences of torture.

[VsichkoEBosh]

Because of the human right situation in Saudi Arabia. USA is friends with them, but that don't mean anything. There are some very severe human rights violations going on in Saudi Arabia. Check Amnesty's report, for example: http://report2009.amnesty.org/en/region ... udi-arabia

But those EU rules don't really mean nothing. I remember when Finland sold some arms to f*cking Israel 2-3 years ago against the EU rules, and nothing ever happened. People just want to act like they really would care, when in reality they really don't...

Blahh, the Sauds get a pass when it comes to HR abuses, not that the US has really shown much of an interest in shutting off valuable trade relations over a few incidences of torture.

But don't you get it, All Arabs, Punjabs, Turks, Turkoids, Negroid-Turks, Chechens, Hindus and epicness from beyond are truly Albanian!