American secret service operatives are distributing illegal assault rifles, anti-tank rocket launchers and other ammunition to Syrian opposition, the New York Times reports. But due to some rebels’ links to Al Qaeda, the CIA’s task is precarious. ­The paper reports that for weeks now, officers based in southeast Turkey have supervised the flow of illegal arms to numerous opposition factions ready... 

Russia has lost $4 billion due to the loss of arms contracts with Libya as a result of the UN’s arms shipments embargo. Anatoly Isaikin, the General Director of Russia’s defense export giant Rosoboronexport, said that Russia had concluded arms contracts worth $2 billion with the previous administration of Libya. “We could conclude more contracts for the same amount,” the official... 

The Government of Japan on December 27 made a significant step toward the abolition of voluntary restrictions on arms exports that had been in effect since 1967. The Japanese news agency Kyodo reported that the decision was taken by the government’s Security Council, based on national needs in developing their own military-industrial complex and intent to ensure adequate supplies of “military... 

US politicians do not conceal fact that missile defense system will be aimed against Russia. The US-sponsored European missile defense system will be aimed at Russia, and some American politicians openly state that, the Russian permanent representative to NATO, Dmitry Rogozin, has said. The diplomat’s comments were made to Interfax news agency in regards to the outcome of his recent trip to Washington,... 

Russia delivered at least 1,800 shoulder-fired antiaircraft missiles to Venezuela in 2009, U.N. arms control data show, despite vigorous U.S. efforts to stop President Hugo Chavez’s stridently anti-American government from acquiring the weapons. The United States feared that the missiles could be funneled to Marxist guerrillas fighting Colombia’s pro-American government or Mexican drug... 

Iran’s Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki flew to Nigeria on Thursday to discuss an arms shipment seized in the West African state last month which diplomats have said could put Tehran in breach of United Nations sanctions. Nigerian Foreign Minister Odein Ajumogobia said his Iranian counterpart had pledged Tehran’s cooperation with investigations into the shipment, intercepted by Nigeria’s...