Paying the price: looking back, learning, looking forward.(Editorial)

The 2008 Yearbook from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) states that:

* Global military expenditures in 2007 was a colossal US$1,339 billion--a real-terms increase of 6 per cent over 2006 and of 45 per cent since 1998;

* The USA's military spending accounted for 45 per cent of the world total in 2007, followed by the UK, China, France and Japan, with 4-5 per cent each;

* Since 2001 US military expenditure has increased by 59 per cent in real terms, principally because of massive spending on military operations in Afghanistan and Iraq, but also because of increases in the 'base' defence budget. By 2007 US spending was higher than at any time since World War II;

* China has increased its military spending threefold in real terms during the past decade;

* The five largest arms suppliers for the period 2003-2007 -- the USA, Russia, Germany, France and the UK--accounted for about 80% of all transfers.

Meanwhile, the annual regular budget of the United Nations is $1.9 billion. For two decades, the UN has faced financial difficulties. As of 29 February 2008, member states' arrears to the regular budget exceeded $1.6 billion. Incidentally, the $1,204 billion spent in 2006 on militaries could fund the UN regular budget for almost 600 years.