David Cameron conceded to his country's support for despots in the region while he was addressing the Kuwaiti Parliament on Tuesday on the second leg of his tour of the Middle East region where he was paying a visit along with the heads of eight giant British weapons manufacturing companies.
The Prime Minister said that popular uprisings now flaring across the Middle East showed that the West, Britain and the US in particular, had been wrong to support dictators and oppressive regimes that suppress human rights.
"History is sweeping through your neighborhood," he said.
"Not as a result of force and violence, but by people seeking their rights, and in the vast majority of cases doing so peacefully and bravely", added Cameron.
“Britain and other Western countries supported Hosni Mubarak, ousted by protests in Egypt. They have also backed authoritarian regimes in the [Persian] Gulf region, making few efforts to push allies towards democratic reform. That approach was wrong and counter-productive”, said the Prime Minister.
He said that Britain's economic and security interests would ultimately be advanced by a more democratic Middle East.
As Cameron was addressing the Kuwaiti Parliament, his entourage, including the CEOs of eight weapons manufacturers were busy negotiating to win contract for their products.
This is building democracy British style.
Bosses from major arms and aerospace companies such as BAe Systems, Qinetiq and Thales as well as other defense contractors including bosses from the Cobham Group, Ultra Electronics, Rolls Royce, Babcock International Group and Atkins are accompanying the Prime Minister on his tour that, he said he wanted to use to offer Britain's help in creating the “building blocks of democracy” in the region.
Critics say Cameron is promoting a mission to sell weaponry to Arab dictators.
“It's an absolute disgrace that the Prime Minister has taken these arms dealers with him”, said Sarah Waldron, of Campaign Against Arms Trade. source
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