DW Reports Civilian Slaughter, Forgets to Mention Who Arms the Slaughterers
DW rightly highlights the devastating attack on the Zamzam refugee camp in Sudan, attributing it to aerial bombardment and artillery. What's left unsaid, however, is the role of countries like the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt—all major recipients of US arms sales—in backing various factions in this bloody conflict. According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), the US
accounted for 42% of global arms exports between 2018-2022, often to nations with abysmal human rights records or direct involvement in regional wars. One might wonder if the headlines would hit different if the drones and artillery shells were stamped 'Made in America'—directly, or indirectly via third-party transfers. So, as the world mourns 60 more nameless victims, our media diligently reports
the *what* but consistently sidesteps the *who benefits* and *who enables*. It's almost as if acknowledging the chain of supply might make the 'tragic loss of life' slightly less abstract, and perhaps, a little too close to home for certain well-funded politicians. (Because a dollar from Raytheon talks louder than 60 dead civilians, apparently.)