By Suzanne Elston, INFACT Canada

April 2, 2002 

Since the September 11th attacks, global military and security spending has spiraled. In total, $1.6 trillion is spent annually on military weapons. At the recent Salt Lake City Winter Game alone, organizers spent an estimated $300 million on security measures or approximately $125,000 per athlete. By contrast, the 1999 WTO meetings in Seattle had a mere $5 million to spend on security.

This is in response to the deaths of 3,000 people. By contrast, in the last twelve months:

– more North Americans were murdered by their spouses

– three times as many people died from food poisoning

– five times as many people were killed by drunk drivers

– ten times as many people committed suicide

– 100 times as many people died from smoking

North American governments are now planning to spend more than 20 billion dollars a year to help fight terrorism. Coincidentally, 20 billion dollars a year just happens to be the amount the World Health Organization has estimated it would take to end hunger in the world. On September 11th alone it’s estimated that:

– 24,000 people died of hunger

– 6020 children were killed by diarrhea

– 2700 children were killed by measles

– 1411 women died in childbirth

– 3288 children were made homeless by war

For an additional investment of 48 billion dollars a year (or less than 0.4% of world military spending), mankind could:

– ensure that all children both boys and girls – receive a primary education

– reduce the number of maternal childbirth deaths by three-quarters

– reduce the number of children who die before the age of 5 by two-thirds

– stop the spread of AIDS.

Information sources include The New Internationalist and CBC Radio.

© Suzanne Elston and INFACT Canada