Weapons not food, not homes, not shoes
Not need, just feed tha war cannibal animal
I walk tha corner to tha rubble that used to be a
Library
Line up to tha mind cemetery
What we don't know keeps tha contracts alive an
Movin'
They don't gotta burn tha books they just remove 'em

War is the bane of humanity, ripping families apart, destroying cultures, and devastating the environment. The cause of war seems to be the same: GREED. Often, in these modern times one can find the cause of a war or conflict simply by following the sales of arms and the trail of money. There has been continuous consolidation of defense manufacturers the last few years and many of these companies are now giants built from smaller companies. Currently, even our small University is pushing war and its technology. For example the CERTT Lab houses equipment (custom hardware and software) for military team simulations (e.g., it currently is running a simulation of the multi-person operation of Uninhabited Air Vehicles). The equipment is valued at approx $500,000 and has been largely funded through a DOD DURIP grant and an AFOSR grant.

I have found, however that no matter what direction I looked for these war profiteers one group came up repeatedly. You guessed it, the U.S. Government. The U.S. has a bad habit of supplying the world with weapons. They often do it quite openly and directly. Foreign military sales by the U.S. Government totaled over $12.2 billion for 2001. The U.S. often uses arms transfers and military aid and training in order to win friends and intimidate others. These are often mistakes because the weapons are given to countries with unstable governments and many times it is a U.S. weapon that is the death of one our soldiers. This occurred in Panama, Iraq, Somalia, Haiti, and Afghanistan. Following 9/11 Congress approved the lifting of restrictions on military aid to countries that the Bush administration felt deserved it. Some of the first weapons deals were to Pakistan because of their needed cooperation in the Afghani conflict. Some of these weapons include 28 F-16’s that were originally purchased in the 80’s. Of course due to the fact that the current leader of Pakistan, Pervez Musharraf, gained his position through a military coup, there is the chance that he will be overthrown and the weapons once again end up in the hands of an enemy. After aid to Pakistan, the U.S. had to offer deals to the Indian government in order to maintain a “military balance” in the region.

The U.S. also promotes war by licensing the sales of U.S. Manufactured weapons throughout the world. The worth of licenses issued was over $36 billion in the year 2001 alone. The U.S. has supplied the arms or technology to over 92% of the conflicts worldwide, 68% of these were to developing nations.

In addition the defense industry is a major contributor to federal elections. In 2001-2002 $7,614,241 was given to the two mainline parties with the Democrats receiving 35% and the Republicans receiving 65%. These industries help form governmental policies from defense to the economy. They are powerful lobbyists and many of the leaders of these defense companies have close ties to powerful people within the U.S. government.

The Guilty Parties

Lockheed Martin (LM)
Lockheed Martin is the world’s largest weapons contractor. Total sales to both the U.S. government and foreign countries totaled $14.7 billion dollars in 2001 alone. LM produces some of the most widely used military aircraft in the world. The F-16 Fighting Falcon is a versatile and agile fighter with 4,200 ordered from 22 countries. LM also makes the F-117 Nighthawk, FA-22 Raptor, Hellfire missiles, the PAC-3 Patriot missile system, and advanced software to help coordinate battle activities. Since Lockheed’s merger with Martin Marietta in 1995, Lockheed Martin has been at the top of U.S. government contracts from defense to space equipment. Nearly 80% of Lockheed Martin's business is with the U.S. Department of Defense and U.S. federal government agencies. In fact, Lockheed Martin is the largest provider of IT services, systems integration, and training to the U.S. Government. Lockheed Martin is led by Vance D. Coffman, who serves on the Board of Directors of 3M Company, Bristol-Myers Squibb, and the United Negro College Fund chairman along with Robert J. Stevens, president and chief operating officer.

Boeing
Boeing is the world’s largest commercial airline manufacturer. In addition, this company has been providing equipment for the U.S. since World War I and has always been a prime defense and aerospace contractor. The company's defense-related research and development activities include guided missile programs, ICBMs, bomber aircraft, military transport aircraft, and space and lunar vehicles. They are also the manufacturers of the bat-like B-2 Stealth Bomber. Its research and innovation into bombers, missiles and delivery systems made it an integral part of U.S. strategic development during the Cold War. In the post-Cold War period, Boeing continues to explore and manufacture aircraft, missiles, and space and lunar vehicles. Boeing makes a huge array of defense equipment from satellites to strike fighters and attack helicopters. They have created a satellite guided system called JDAM (Joint Direct Attack Munitions), that can be attached to a conventional bomb and create a “smart” bomb. It is extremely easy to find what weapons Boeing is currently producing, their website has information proudly displayed on their Integrated Defense Systems page. Boeing is also the maker of the Apache attack helicopter. This laser guided gunship was responsible for destroying over 500 Iraqi tanks during the first Gulf War.

Northrop Grumman
This is one of today’s leaders in technology spanning five business areas: strategic systems, missile defense, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, homeland security, command and control, and technical services and training. It is also strong in areas such as battlefield digitization, command and control, missile systems, training and simulation, weapons systems, base operations, reconnaissance and intelligence. They are also makers of a B-2 Stealth Bomber and the unmanned Global Hawk which is used for intelligence.

NG acquired the Newport News Corporation, one of the major ship builders for the U.S. Navy, in November of 2001. They are also the nation's sole designer, builder and refueler of nuclear-powered aircraft carriers and one of only two companies capable of designing and building nuclear-powered submarines.

The Carlyle Group or The Ex-President’s Club
The Carlyle group is a secretive private investment house worth $14 billion. Carlyle has major holdings in the defense industry and makes billions from war. The group’s leadership include George Bush, Sr., former Secretary of State James Baker, former Secretary of Defense and Deputy Director of the CIA, Frank Carlucci. The Head of European operations is former British Prime Minister John Major. Our current President, good old George W. has even sat on the board at Carlyle. Does this start sounding like a conflict of interest? In addition, members of Osama bin Laden’ss family were multi-million dollar investors in Carlyle. In fact, on the day of September 11, 2001 members of the bin Laden family were in the Ritz-Carlton along with former Secretary of Defense Carlucci and former Secretary of State Jim Baker attending the Carlyle groups annual investor conference. One of their most famous holdings is that of United Defense Industries.
United Defense is the creator of such weapons as the Bradley Fighting Vehicle whose first prototype was a huge waste of money and considered a total failure. The U.S. still spent millions on them. These have been improved but are still costly. United Defense also makes the Hercules M88A2 and the Paladin Howitzer M109A6. They also made the Crusader Howitzer which was considered clumsy and outdated by many Army officials. However Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld convinced the Pentagon to continue purchasing the weapons at a cost of over $11 billion dollars. A few months later the program was halted. United Defense currently has several new contracts with the U.S. government.

General Electric
General Electric is a household name, although I doubt that many of the households realize that besides “bringing good things to life” GE also produces many of the engines that are in the worlds jet fighters. GE is a producer of appliances, electronics, TV’s, while at the same time it produces fighters, helicopters, and transports to the next generation of unmanned aircraft. GE boasts that their military weapons “continue to operate in critical missions around the world.” In one recent instance the Government of Kuwait signed a letter of offer and acceptance with the U.S. Department of Defense for the purchase of 16 AH-64D Longbow helicopters. Eleven different countries have purchased Apaches, whose engines are produced by GE and body and design by Boeing. During the conflict in Iraq these engines played a crucial role, moving equipment, weapons, spy equipment, and attacking surprised Iraqis. General Electric also owns Raytheon Co. which will soon be discussed. They are also the owner of NBC television. GE has been involved in nuclear weapons production since the end of the Second World War, as well as in the construction of nuclear power plants. In 1945, GE's president, Charles Wilson, opposed an action that would bring the conversion of the military economy to civilian production put into effect a system for perpetual war.
Because of the early actions of Charles Wilson, GE had by 1991 become one of the largest nuclear weapons producers in the world, grossing $11 billion in nuclear warfare systems in the period 1984-86. It makes parts for the Trident and MX missiles and for the Stealth and B1 bombers. GE is the developer and sole producer of the trigger for every nuclear weapon made in the United States; it manufactures Star Wars components, and it has a key role in the manufacturing of all nuclear weapons. GE plays a role in uranium mining, plutonium production, weapons testing, and nuclear waste storage.
Since 1945, GE has helped shape government policy to increase sales and profits for its nuclear weapons and related divisions. Once again there are some interesting members of their board. David Jones is the retired chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; William French Smith was Reagan's attorney general and is now his personal attorney. Other people associated with the GE board are Katharine Graham, owner of the Washington Post; Robert McNamara, former secretary of defense; Harold Brown, another former defense secretary; Cyrus Vance, Carter's secretary of state; and Alan Greenspan, chairman of the Federal Reserve. These and other board members sit on the boards of major U.S. corporations like Quaker Oats, Goodyear Tire and Rubber, J. P. Morgan, and Citicorp. These are all people who could potentially have great impact on what occurs in the U.S. , all part of nuclear weapons manufacturing.

Raytheon
Raytheon was the producer of most of the laser guided bombs that were used during Operation Iraqi Freedom. During World War II, Raytheon was the leading producer of radar tubes and complete radar systems. Following the war, Raytheon became a pioneer in the field of missile guidance. Raytheon makes the Tomahawk, a long range, guided missile that can be launched from nearly any platform including submarine. In the first 24 hours of the latest Iraqi war over 500 missiles were launched at a cost of a million dollars each. Raytheon also produce the Sidewinder missiles, radar, a wide array of electronics, and airport survellience systems. Going to their site was like going to a candy store for lunatics, pages of different military and government equipment, enough to make your head spin. Raytheon also designed guidance missile systems to intercept aircraft and ballistic missiles. Like many of the other defense companies the 90’s were a time of mergers and acquisitions. In April of 1996, Raytheon announced its plans to buy Chrysler Technologies Airborne Systems (CTAS) and Electrospace Systems, Inc. (ESI) from the Chrysler Corporation for $455 million. On January 6, 1997 Raytheon bought Texas Instruments Defense Systems & Electronics for a reported $2.95 billion. Less than two weeks later, Raytheon announced a merger with General Motors's Hughes Electronics defense operations (Hughes Aircraft), creating a $21 billion entity. GM's Hughes Electronics had previously acquired General Dynamics Missile Systems and Phillips's Magnavox Electronics Systems.
Raytheon also makes the Tomahawk a long range, guided missile that can be launched from nearly any platform including submarine. In the first 24 hours of the latest Iraqi war over 500 missiles were launched at a cost of a million dollars each.

Hughes Electronics
I have some questions about this company that I can’t find the answer to. This company is owned entirely by General Motors. However I have found information saying there was a merger with Raytheon in 1997 which is owned of course, by General Electric. I can’t find any conclusive information about the true ownership of Hughes. Hughes Aircraft contributed to World War II by manufacturing armaments and radio equipment. Its role increased after the war to include advanced radar systems and radar guided missiles. Hughes Aircraft researched and developed applications for modern missiles, including guidance by not only radar but also lasers, wires, optical fibers, video and infrared imaging sensors. In addition to aircraft and missiles, Hughes Aircraft played a significant role in satellite development with its pioneering research in the areas of high resolution imaging, infrared imaging, thermal detection, and in-flight programmable radar signal processing. It’s funny but when you go to their homepage you would never guess they played a role in weapons manufacturing. It’s main emphasis is on DirecTV the satellite TV provider.

General Dynamics (GD)
General Dynamics main business is supplying the U.S. and its allies with weapons systems and services. GD designs and manufactures the M1 Series Abrams Main Battle Tank for the U.S. Army and various foreign governments. According to their website they employ over 57,000 people around the world. General Dynamics has four main business segments. Aerospace: This segment is responsible for designing, manufacturing and providing services for mid-size, large cabin and ultra-long range business aircraft. Combat Systems: CS supplies land and amphibious combat machines and systems, including armored vehicles, power trains, turrets, munitions and gun systems. Information Systems and Technology: IT’s expertise lies in specialized data acquisition and processing, advanced electronics, and battlespace information networks and management systems. Marine Systems: This segment designs and builds nuclear submarines, surface combatants, auxiliary ships and large commercial vessels.

GD ARABIA, Ltd. is a partner with General Dynamics established in 1980, headquartered in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. GD ARABIA, Ltd. has fully operational sites within the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in Tabuk, KKMC, Al-Kharj, and Khamis. GD Arabia says it would like to “expand its core business of military technology and training to other commercial markets, capitalizing on the fast emerging private sector.”
United Technologies

United Technologies is powerful business with major U.S. Defense Contracts. A UTC subsidiary, Sikorsky, makes the majority of the world’s military helicopters. This includes the Comanche, Seahawk, and heavily used Blackhawk. Another subsidiary produces the jet engines for many fighter planes including the F16 Falcon and the F15 Eagle. It currently employs 155,000 people with 79,545 being based outside of the U.S. International revenues total $2.57 billion which is 56% of their total revenue. UTC is a truly global corporation with over 2,000 locations in over 180 countries.
Their board is made up a variety of individuals with interesting backgrounds. One member is a CEO at GlaxoSmithKline a pharmaceuticals company. Others were heads of chemical companies, telecommunications and the president of Howard University.

Science Applications International Corporation
SAIC provides much of the software and hardware used in a variety of training simulations, from SWAT to the U.S. military. In addition they produce many satellite guided systems and unmanned vehicles. There are also products in counterterrorism, corporate security, contraband detection, narcotics interdiction and explosive ordnance disposal. Portable X Ray systems are available which have been used to a great extent in the new war on Terror and the drug war. SAIC produces much of what will be used in the future of the military, precise, high tech equipment that is being currently viewed as being highly valuable. Their board of directors is also composed of a variety of ex-military, retired heads of other defense companies and University leadership. It is also one of the few of these defense companies that is employee owned. Employees are allowed to purchase an amount of stock that reflects their contribution to building the company and providing quality services to their customers. It is not exactly clear how they determine this. SAIC’s 40,000 employees benefit however. SAIC is not publicly traded. Only employees, directors, and consultants may purchase stock or receive stock bonuses or option awards.

L-3 Communications Holdings
I have a personal association with some of L-3’s products. When I was in the Army I was trained to repair their equipment, mainly secure telephones and other types of communication equipment. These phones are the top of the line secure telephones used by some of the highest military officials around the world. L-3 calls itself a “leading merchant supplier of Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) systems and products, secure communications systems and products, avionics and ocean products, training devices and services, microwave components and telemetry, instrumentation, space and navigation products.” L-3’s primary customers include the Department of Defense, Department of Homeland Security, selected U.S. Government intelligence agencies.

Honeywell
The recent, endless war on Terror and emphasis on Homeland security has made Honeywell very happy. They are one of the primary companies that is profiting by providing services and technology for airline security. Honeywell recently said that its aerospace business has signed more than $1.3 billion in new contracts with major companies including General Electric, easyJet, Continental Airlines, Embraer, Airbus and Boeing. They also have contracts for the avionics for the Joint Strike Fighter at Lockheed Martin. These contracts, which were announced at the Paris Air Show, include agreements to deliver avionics, engine controls, auxiliary power units (APU), wheels and brakes and maintenance services. Honeywell employs over 100,000 people in nearly a hundred different countries. Most of the other defense companies purchase their avionics components from Honeywell.

Data Device Corporation
The Data Device Corp. produces what is known as “lifeline” for various military aircraft including the Apache attack helicopter. It is the system that allows interaction between electronic subsystems and the on-board computer. DDC produces various, chips, buses and software that is essential to the technologically dependent U.S. military of today.

Small Arms
Small arms play a key role in conflicts around the world. These weapons are relatively cheap and easy to buy, smuggle and transport. They are also light and simple to use which makes it much easier for some factions to arm and train children. There are currently over 1,000 companies in 98 countries worldwide that are producing these weapons or ammunition for them. There were an estimated 8 million arms produced in 2000 the majority of which(70%) were produced in the U.S. and the European Union.

Heckler & Koch
H&K is a German small arms manufacturer who makes a variety of small arms. They produce pistols, submachine guns, high powered assault rifles, in addition to research into weapons of the future. They have exported to arms to various countries in Africa. H&K has exported their G3 rifles to over 45 countries in the world including 20 in Africa. Some countries that have received these weapons include Kenya, Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Senegal, Angola, Sudan, Ethiopia, Uganda and Morocco. A Turkish company named MKEK also produces G3 rifles along with other Heckler & Koch arms. MKEK has exported to over 38 countries including Burundi, Libya and Tunisia.

The Herstal Group
This is another producer of small arms. They are headquartered in Liege, Belgium and have offices in North America and Asia. The names most commonly associated with Herstal is Browning and Winchester. They produce many of the machine guns and weapons systems that are on various gunships and fighters. Herstal’s weapons have found their way to many conflicts around the world but are found in concentration in the African conflicts. The FNC rifle is extremely popular and widely used. These weapons are also used by police, SWAT and death squads around the world.

OIL
Oil has been a major component in conflicts around the world with special emphasis on the Middle East region. This is an area rich in oil reserves which makes it a strategic controlling point. There has been a fight for oil in this area since the middle of the last century. One of the CIA’s first successful attempts at a coup occurred in 1953 in Iran, guaranteeing the U.S. 40% of the highly profitable oil industry. Iraq in particular has always been near the center of the conflict, having one of the worlds largest reserves of oil, second in wealth only to Saudi Arabia. Many oil companies have been at the front for the push for war. Greed motivates these companies who do not seem to value human life but only profits. Part of the reasoning for complete regime change in Afghanistan was so oil companies could have access to large oil reserves in the Caspian Sea. Offshore drilling operations are underway in Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan, and set to commence elsewhere. Major firms have also invested significantly in the future construction of oil and gas pipelines to distant ports and refineries. By 2010, the world's leading energy concerns expect to invest at least $50 billion in production and transportation. Since the Caspian sea is surrounded by land the only way to move it is by pipeline and one of the key countries for a pipeline is Afghanistan.

Halliburton
Halliburton is the worlds largest provider of services for the oil industry. They are also the fifth largest military contractor in the U.S. Halliburton provides a wide range of engineering services, technology and equipment for oil and gas fields, platforms, pipelines, refineries, highways and military operations around the world. Halliburton has succeeded by doing business with governments around the world, including some of the most repressive regimes in the world while ignoring human rights violations. Halliburton has made considerable income from major civil and military projects, such as building roads and deploying infrastructure for overseas U.S. operations. Before this last conflict in Iraq, Halliburton did business with both Iraq and Iran. Business with Iraq totaled over $73 million. Who was the CEO of Halliburton while all this was going on? Our old pal, Vice President Dick Cheney. Cheney was made a millionaire many times over during his leadership at Halliburton. Currently Halliburton is thought to be first in line to take on the job of reconstructing Iraq which could be worth billions. Under Cheney, Halliburton created or continued partnerships with some of the world's most notorious governments-in countries such as Azerbaijan, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Libya, Burma and Nigeria

ExxonMobile
Exxon is one of the largest corporations in the world. They explore, dig, lay pipelines, exert influence on world governments, and enrich oil. Exxon, Shell and the French oil company ELF are all part of Africa's largest oil development project ever. This development and influx of money will fuel many of the conflicts and create new ones in Chad and Cameroon. This Texas-based mega-corporation is also known as Exxon-Mobil Coal and Minerals, Imperial Oil, ESSO and Monterrey Coal Company, Compania Minera Disputada de Las Condes Limitada (Chile), Intercor (Colombia), and dozens of other companies that produce a wide range of chemicals, plastics, and consumer products. An international campaign organized by Greenpeace is targeting Exxon-Mobil as one of the main obstacles to greenhouse gas reductions. Exxon is responsible for hurting many different groups of people throughout the world. They have dried wetlands and mined in Wayuu Indian areas in Columbia. To extract the coal, Exxon sucked up the groundwater, dried up the rivers, and, in the process, killed the grasslands on which the Wayuu depended for subsistence. The Indians have also suffered from respiratory diseases caused by coal dust and heavy noise pollution. Exxon was also a large contributor to the Republican party second only to Enron. I believe that Exxon among others is keeping the advancement of alternative fuels to a minimum, fearing that they would lose out on all of the profits.

ChevronTexaco Corporation
This is another large oil company with heavy interests in the Middle East region. Chevron also has dealings with nations who are human rights abusers. Chevron is one of the corporate leaders in funding anti-environmental groups. Of the 52 groups listed in the Greenpeace guide, Chevron funds 10, including the Heritage Foundation, the Reason Foundation and Accuracy in Media. These large, well funded political groups address a number of topics, the environment one of them. The Heritage Foundation calls the environmental movement “the greatest single threat to the American economy.” Another group partially funded by Chevron is the Reason Foundation. It is the largest right-wing think tank outside Washington D.C. The Reason Foundation's motto is “free minds and free markets.” They cite environmentalism as “the most potent force for regulation of the economy.” The Heritage Foundation calls the environmental movement “the greatest single threat to the American economy.”
Condoleezza Rice, National Security Advisor of the Bush Administration is a former director of ChevronTexaco and continues to maintain strong ties to the company. Chevron and Texaco executives, prior to the company merger, would advised Vice President Dick Cheney on energy policy, both directly through the Energy Task Force and through the companies close ties to the Council on Foreign Relations. The Council on Foreign Relations is a foreign policy think tank with intertwining interests between industry and government. CFR provides policy advice to the Bush Administration, including an Iraq policy "road-map" developed along with the right-wing group, "The James Baker III institute for Public Policy." James Baker III, of course, was Secretary of State for Bush Sr. and one of the movers of the first Gulf War. ChevronTexaco is a consistent funder of CFR, including $27,500 in 2001, and a significant portion of a $3.2 million CFR endowment this year. ChevronTexaco director Carl Ware sits on the board of CFR, as does former Chevron director and current National Security Advisor, Condoleezza Rice and former ChevronTexaco Vice-Chairman Richard H. Matzke. Clearly, the company has found many ways to get its voice heard regarding access to Iraqi oil. They even named an oil tanker after her. Quite an honor.
Occidental Petroleum (Oxy)
I hope the Democrats don’t feel left out so far because more often than not they are right in the mix of things dealing with business. Occidental is no stranger to Gore and his family: Armand Hammer, who made the oil giant what it is today - and who has been described as "the Godfather of American corporate corruption" – boasted that Gore's father, Senator Albert Gore, Sr., was "in my back pocket."

After leaving the Senate in 1970, Hammer gave Al Sr. a $500,000-a-year job and a seat on OP's board of directors. Al Jr. owns between $500,000 and $1 million dollars of Occidental stock, and receives a $20 000 annual payment from the corporation for supposed mineral rights on the land that Occidental has never attempted to extract.
Oxy is the head of oil projects condemned by environmental and human rights organizations around the world. Oxy plans and actions in Columbia have riled human rights groups around the world. In 1997, Berito KuwarU'wa, then President of the Traditional U'wa Authority, was beaten and threatened when he refused to sign an agreement permitting oil exploitation on U'wa land. Two years later, three American humanitarians working with the U'wa were kidnapped and executed. In the last year, violent police crackdowns on peaceful road blockades by local farmers, union members, students, and thousands of U'wa near Oxy's drill site left many injured and at least three indigenous children dead. The Indians have also experienced intimidation from both the military and guerrilla groups. There is a pipeline nearby named Cano Limon that is clear example of what could happen to the U’wa and their environment. In the past twelve years, the pipeline has been attacked over 700 times by guerrilla groups, spilling more than 2 million barrels of crude oil into the forest and rivers. Theses oil spills amount to eight times the crude spilled by the Exxon Valdez. In 2000 alone the pipeline was attacked 98 times destroying the surrounding ecosystems.

Shell
Shell is another oil company with a lot at stake in unstable and violent regions of the world. They are another company with great interest in Africa. Based on Shell's shameful disregard for indigenous people in Nigeria, international human rights organizations expect the worst. In November 1995, Nobel Peace Prize nominee Ken Saro-Wiwa and eight fellow Ogoni tribesmen were executed for opposing Shell's Niger Delta operations. Oil pollution destroyed the traditional Ogoni fishing and farming life.

Peru's Nahua and Kugapakori Reserve is a 2,200 square mile area in the Urubamba River valley bordering Manu National Park, about 300 miles east of Lima. The Nahua and Kugapakori Indians are semi-nomadic hunter-gatherers whose cultures honor their natural surroundings. Their own well-being is inseparable from the well-being of the rainforest; it is their source of food, shelter, and the focus of their spiritual life. The Nahua and Kugapakori's survival depends on their continued stewardship of a clean, intact rainforest ecosystem.

Shell's plans to drill on the reserve will force the Nahua and Kugapakori to compromise their traditional way of life, robbing them of their basic human right to determine their own future.

British Petroleum (BP)
This is one of the guilty who are actually foreign owned. In 1996 British Petroleum (BP) and its partners signed a three year, $60 million agreement with Colombia's Ministry of Defense under which the army agreed to supply a battalion of 150 officers and 500 soldiers, including an elite mobile unit, to monitor construction of a 880 kilometre long pipeline to the Caribbean coast.
BP provided training for these security operations through a British mercenary firm called Defense Systems Limited (DSL), which has offices overlooking Buckingham Palace. Wearing Colombian police uniforms, a BP team of DSL soldiers taught a course that included counterguerrilla tactics, such as lethal weapons handling, sniper fire, and close quarter combat. Their board is made of high ranking figures at Goldman-Sachs, Intel, Reuters group, the Royal Bank of Scotland, GlaxoSmithKline, GM, Sara Lee, Anheuser-Busch, SBC communications and IBM. Amnesty International's Colombia researcher, Susan Lee states that: "Given the well documented role of the police in human rights abuses and the lack of accountability and controls on the Colombian armed forces BP practices are extremely dangerous and certainly open to abuse." An Amnesty report also details environmental damage caused by BP. The company's oil exploration has devastated a protected forest, polluted a river, and damaged several bridges and the only road local people can use to transport their products to market.

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