Future Retirement Success
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Investing
  • Stocks
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Investing
  • Stocks

Future Retirement Success

Investing

The Tragic but Unsurprising Costs of Loose U.S. Weapons in Ukraine

by May 24, 2023
May 24, 2023

Jordan Cohen

Over the last 48 hours, national news outlets have begun reporting that Ukrainian militias used U.S.-made armored vehicles (albeit unconfirmed by the U.S. government) in an attack over the Russian border and that Ukraine’s security services conducted a drone attack against the Kremlin earlier this month. It is important to note that despite Washington’s support for Ukraine, the United States was not involved in either attack. This recent escalation – with U.S. weapons systems in one case – is disappointing but not surprising.

Since the start of the conflict, I have written eight different editorials addressing loose weapons in Ukraine. This weapons dispersion happens for a few reasons. First, there is a history of weapons dispersion in Ukraine. According to the 2021 Global Organized Crime Index, Ukraine has one of the largest illegally trafficked arms markets in Europe, especially when it comes to small arms and ammunition. About 300,000 small arms and light weapons were reported lost or stolen between 2013 and 2015. Of these, only slightly more than 13 percent are recovered, while the vast majority remains in circulation on the black market.

All of this was already a problem before the conflict. The invasion exacerbated these issues as the country was flooded with a sudden influx of millions of arms and ammunition and an increasing number of civilians received military training and weapons. As Rep. Sara Jacobs (D‑CA) noted at a 2022 Cato policy forum on the risk of weapons trafficking in Ukraine, the United States does not “have the capacity to do the end‐​use monitoring we were doing before” because monitoring changes when you begin to “arm an insurgency.”

This sort of weapons dispersion is not surprising, nor are its effects. Loose U.S. weapons threaten to entangle the United States in a conflict with another nuclear power by unintentionally increasing escalation against Russia, while also risking further destabilization within Ukraine if a disagreement breaks out between different armed groups or in any post‐​conflict situation.

The world has seen weapons dispersion of U.S. arms cause similar damage twice over the last two years. First, in Afghanistan, where the Taliban have used U.S. weapons left behind to arm themselves and generate profits. Second, in Yemen, when U.S. weapons sales to Saudi Arabia turned the United States into an unwitting participant in the conflict.

Nonetheless, while the damage done in Afghanistan and Yemen is severe, they pale in comparison to what could happen in Ukraine. Dispersion in Ukraine risks great power war and destabilization in Eastern Europe. Regrettably, there is little that the United States can do now to prevent this from continuing to happen.

0
FacebookTwitterGoogle +Pinterest
previous post
The Wisdom of Jesse Livermore, Part 6
next post
Team DeSantis campaign staff is assembled – and it includes ex-Trump officials

You may also like

Trump’s Sharp-Elbowed Europe Strategy Is Producing Results

March 19, 2025

Biden Didn’t Cause the Border Crisis, Part 3: Would...

January 16, 2025

The War on Prices Continues: Biden’s Misguided Rent...

April 1, 2024

The State of Student Loan Forgiveness: August 2024

August 1, 2024

Rep. Miller‐​Meeks’ OTC Act Might Nudge the FDA...

July 14, 2023

A Fine Pairing: Crypto x AI and a...

December 13, 2024

From Dog Leashes to Potty Breaks: Are We...

May 14, 2025

Bank Capital Standards

July 3, 2025

Trump Administration Purges at FBI Spark Revolt Among...

February 3, 2025

Friday Feature: Bridges to Science

September 22, 2023

    Get free access to all of the retirement secrets and income strategies from our experts! or Join The Exclusive Subscription Today And Get the Premium Articles Acess for Free

    By opting in you agree to receive emails from us and our affiliates. Your information is secure and your privacy is protected.

    Recent Posts

    • New ‘buy now, pay later’ affordability checks may cover even smallest loans under FCA proposals

      July 18, 2025
    • OpenAI launches ChatGPT personal assistant capable of browsing, shopping, and managing files

      July 18, 2025
    • Congress sends $9B spending cuts package to Trump’s desk after late-night House vote

      July 18, 2025
    • The unexpected US States where entrepreneurs are thriving

      July 18, 2025
    • Hospitality and retail jobs plummet since Rachel Reeves’s budget, sparking backlash over NICs hike

      July 18, 2025
    • Trump’s modest spending cuts package survives narrow Senate vote as some Republicans break ranks

      July 18, 2025

    Categories

    • Business (8,514)
    • Investing (2,128)
    • Politics (16,103)
    • Stocks (3,217)
    • About us
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms & Conditions

    Disclaimer: futureretirementsuccess.com, its managers, its employees, and assigns (collectively “The Company”) do not make any guarantee or warranty about what is advertised above. Information provided by this website is for research purposes only and should not be considered as personalized financial advice. The Company is not affiliated with, nor does it receive compensation from, any specific security. The Company is not registered or licensed by any governing body in any jurisdiction to give investing advice or provide investment recommendation. Any investments recommended here should be taken into consideration only after consulting with your investment advisor and after reviewing the prospectus or financial statements of the company.

    Copyright © 2025 futureretirementsuccess.com | All Rights Reserved