Worldwide military spending increased in 2009 by its fastest pace in 6 years

We think of things being more peaceful in the world when it comes to needing military. Evidently that's not the case with this Christian Science Monitor article pointing out that worldwide spending on military has increased more last year than any year in the past six years. It is the oil nations that increased the most, (article link).

The US remains by far the biggest military spender, followed by China, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) said in its annual report on worldwide military expenditures, released June 2. Last year saw the steepest jump in worldwide military spending since the start of the Iraq War in 2003.

But, as the world’s military spending increased nearly 50 percent over the past decade, the biggest military budget increases were seen in small, oil-rich countries flooded with new wealth.

From 2000 to 2009, Chad increased its military budget 663 percent, Azerbaijan increased 471 percent, and Kazakhstan increased 360 percent.