Global Military Spending Set to Top Cold War High as Conflict Causes Record Hunger

OXfam, Global military spending is set to break the previous Cold War record by the end of 2006, warns international aid agency Oxfam today, as government representatives address the opening of the UN General Assembly in New York. 
 
Oxfam is calling on governments to ban arms sales that fuel poverty, conflict, and human rights abuses, by supporting an Arms Trade Treaty. A landmark vote to start work on such a Treaty will take place next month in the General Assembly. 
 
As military spending has increased, conflict has become the top cause of world hunger. Africa is particularly affected: 61per cent of African countries affected by food crises are in the grip of civil wars. In Afghanistan, 2.5 million people currently do not have enough food to eat and conflict is hampering relief efforts. During the past few months in Gaza, the ongoing conflict has left hundreds of UN food containers stranded at border posts, leaving Palestinians short of essential supplies, such as bread. 
 
The USA and countries in the Middle East are responsible for the bulk of the growth in military spending, but some of the world