Ferguson could lead to more US weapons for Middle East
Congress wants to clamp down on leftover military equipment going to local police departments, but what will happen to all that surplus gear?
The images of small-town police officers pointing sniper rifles at protesters from atop armored trucks have many people drawing comparisons between Ferguson, Missouri and Baghdad.
If Congress gets its way, Baghdad is exactly where some of that military equipment may end up.
Lawmakers in both chambers have vowed to revisit two 1990s laws that allow the US military to unload its surplus vehicles, weapons and other gear on federal and state agencies to fight drug dealers and terrorists. One aspect of the debate that’s gotten little notice over the past month is that foreign governments — including many in the Middle East — have been drawing from that same pool for decades.
“All equipment transfers to other US government entities or eligible foreign partner nations is equipment that is excess to the needs of the DoD,” the Defense Department told Al-Monitor in an email. “US government requests are prioritized over foreign requests as required by the DoD disposition manual.”
