ABSTRACT
The great change introduced into the art of war by the invention of fire-arms, has enhanced still further both the expense of exercising and disciplining any particular number of soldiers in time of peace, and that of employing them in time of war. Both their arms and their ammunition are become more expensive. The primary motivation of the arms suppliers is the desire to achieve political influence in the increasingly important, yet fragmented regions of the developing world. Recognizing the demand for arms as an opportunity to achieve this goal, the industrialized nations often compete without regard to long-term consequences. Even though arms transfers and military assistance may not be the most effective instrument of foreign policy and may tend to be somewhat unwieldy and unreliable in their outcomes, it is unlikely that the supplier nations will forgo the opportunity to influence African states by voluntarily or unilaterally restraining their transfers of arms in response to African demands.
