JUST AROUND THE CORNER

The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute reports that total worldwide military expenditures in 2009 were estimated at a mind-boggling $1531 billion, up nearly 6% from ’08. That was despite the financial credit crisis and global recession.

Questions raised by the Women’s International League for Peace & Freedom (WILF) should make all of us sit up and respond. What, asks the WILF, would you rather have our governments pay for:
– One year of the world’s military spending, or over 24 years of the additional foreign aid that’s needed to achieve MDGs?

– One year of the world’s military spending, or 700 years of the UN regular budget?

– One year of the world’s military spending, or 2928 years of the just-launched UN women’s agency?

Where are our priorities?

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