Arms control advocates try to slow exports

To combat terrorism, the Bush administration and defense industries have been quietly arming the world, including boosting weapons exports to the Congo, Liberia, East Timor, India, Indonesia and other troubled nations.

Now, arms control advocates are hoping the new Obama administration and the Democratic-controlled Congress will clamp down on the nation’s growing trend of selling weapons abroad.

According to a new study done by William Hartung, director of the arms and security initiative at the New America Foundation, the United States sold $32 billion in weapons abroad in 2008, up from $18 billion in 2006.

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