Latin America Doesn’t Need This

For 20 years, the United States wisely banned sales of sophisticated U.S. weaponry to Latin America. But with their international markets shrinking, U.S. military contractors inevitably looked south and saw willing customers. The Clinton administration, caving in under their pressure, reversed the ban last week. That mistake could have dreadful consequences.

The administration has said it will consider all such sales on a case-by-case basis. But even Solomon would be hard-pressed to ensure that freer access to the most advanced weaponry in the world won’t create regional instability. The Pentagon will have to keep a close watch on the weapon stockpiles in every country south of the Rio Grande to guard against a fall into a costly and dangerous arms race.

Back in 1977, when President Jimmy Carter imposed the ban, the countries of Central and South America were an archipelago of military dictatorships. These have since disappeared, and now most of the countries are moving toward democracy. Yet this welcome trend does not mean that historical enmity between nations cannot turn into armed conflicts.

As a rationale for the sales, the administration insists that selling the weapons will help stabilize the region. We fail to see how purchasing fighter jets and tanks can help improve political stability.

If anything, once the Chilean army buys a few F-16 fighters, the Argentines will feel the urge to acquire new planes, which in turn will give the Brazilian army itchy trigger fingers and so on. Or consider an arms race between Peru and Ecuador, two countries that for centuries have proven unable to settle their border differences peacefully.

The possibility of conflict is only one reason to oppose this decision. Latin America’s citizens largely exist under dismal economic conditions. Every multimillion-dollar tank, missile or F-16 fighter jet will be purchased at the expense of legions of poor people struggling to keep themselves and their children healthy and out of desperate need.

Helping Latin America modernize its weaponry rather than its economies will only worsen many problems. The region needs roads and schools and jobs, not deadly toys for its generals.