In the wake of the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, and with the ongoing war in Yemen, activists are pushing the West to cut off weapons exports to Saudi Arabia, the world’s second-largest arms importer. But though the kingdom no longer wields near-unilateral control over global oil prices, its crude still accounts for 12.7% of global consumption. Cut off the weapons and you could jeopardize oil supply or destablize prices.
Total volume of arms exports
by country, and the percentage
bound for Saudi Arabia
In so-called trade indicator value units,
a measure of volume, from 2013–2017
United States
50 Billion total
18%
goes to
Saudi Arabia
United Kingdom
7 Billion
Switzerland
20%
Spain
49%
1.3 Billion
4.3 Billion
Sweden
Turkey
8.3%
13%
16%
1.3 Billion
1.2 Billion
Canada
19%
1.1 Billion
Saudi Arabia’s
main suppliers
from 2013–2017
448%
Increase in U.S. arms
exports to Saudi Arabia
from 2008–12
to 2013–17
61%
U.S.
23%
U.K.
$69.4
BIllion
3.6%
France
Saudi Arabia’s
total military
spending in 2017
12.4%
Other
Countries no longer selling
arms to Saudi Arabia
canada
12%
Finland
Germany
Sweden
Norway
u.S.
9%
% of oil imported from Saudi Arabia
0.9%
0.5%
0%
0%
World’s largest arms dealers by sales (in U.S. $)
Lockheed Martin (U.S.)
$40.8 billion
Boeing (U.S.)
$29.5 billion
Raytheon (U.S.)
$22.9 billion
BAE Systems (U.K.)
$22.8 billion
Northrop Grumman (U.S.)
$21.4 billion
General Dynamics (U.S.)
$19.2 billion
If they don’t buy it from us, they’re
going to buy it from Russia or they’re
going to buy it from China, or they’re
going to buy it from other countries.
—President Donald Trump on
why the U.S. won’t stop selling
arms to Saudi Arabia over the
murder of Jamal Khashoggi
We do not need your armaments.
We will find them some-where else.
—Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister,
Adel al-Jubeir, responding to
Germany’s decision to cut off
arms sales to countries involved
in the war in Yemen
Total volume of arms exports by country,
and the percentage bound for Saudi Arabia
In so-called trade indicator value units, a measure of volume, from 2013–2017
United States
50 Billion total
18%
goes to
Saudi Arabia
United Kingdom
7 Billion
Switzerland
49%
20%
Spain
1.3 Billion
Sweden
4.3 Billion
Canada
13%
8.3%
19%
1.3 Billion
1.1 Billion
Turkey
16%
1.2 Billion
Saudi Arabia’s
main suppliers
from 2013–2017
61%
U.S.
448%
Increase in U.S. arms
exports to Saudi Arabia from
2008–12 to 2013–17
23%
U.K.
$69.4 BIllion
3.6%
France
12.4%
Other
Saudi Arabia’s total military
spending in 2017
Countries no longer selling
arms to Saudi Arabia
canada
12%
Germany
Sweden
Norway
Finland
u.S.
9%
% of oil imported from Saudi Arabia
0.9%
0.5%
0%
0%
World’s largest arms dealers by sales (in U.S. $)
Lockheed Martin (U.S.)
$40.8 billion
Boeing (U.S.)
$29.5 billion
Raytheon (U.S.)
$22.9 billion
BAE Systems (U.K.)
$22.8 billion
Northrop Grumman (U.S.)
$21.4 billion
General Dynamics (U.S.)
$19.2 billion
If they don’t buy it from us, they’re going to buy
it from Russia or they’re going to buy it from China,
or they’re going to buy it from other countries.
—President Donald Trump on why the U.S.
won’t stop selling arms to Saudi Arabia over
the murder of Jamal Khashoggi
We do not need your armaments.
We will find them some-where else.
—Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister,
Adel al-Jubeir, responding to Germany’s decision to cut off arms sales to countries involved in the war in Yemen
Total volume of arms exports by country,
and the percentage bound for Saudi Arabia
In so-called trade
indicator value
units, a measure
of volume,
from 2013–2017
18%
goes to
Saudi Arabia
49%
United Kingdom
7 Billion
United States
If they don’t
buy it from us,
they’re going
to buy it from
Russia or
they’re going
to buy it from
China, or they’re
going to buy
it from other
countries.
16%
448%
50 Billion total
Turkey
20%
8.3%
Switzerland
Increase in U.S.
arms exports to
Saudi Arabia
from 2008–12
to 2013–17
1.2 Billion
Spain
1.3 Billion
19%
4.3 Billion
Canada
13%
Sweden
$69.4
1.1 Billion
—President
Donald Trump
on why the
U.S. won’t stop
selling arms to
Saudi Arabia over
the murder of
Jamal Khashoggi
1.3 Billion
BIllion
Saudi Arabia’s
total military
spending in 2017
Countries no longer selling
arms to Saudi Arabia
canada
12%
Germany
Sweden
Norway
Finland
u.S.
9%
Saudi Arabia’s
main suppliers
from 2013–2017
% of oil imported from Saudi Arabia
0.9%
0.5%
0%
0%
We do not
need your
armaments.
We will find
them some-
where else.
61%
U.S.
World’s largest arms dealers by sales (in U.S. $)
Lockheed Martin (U.S.)
$40.8 billion
Boeing (U.S.)
—Saudi Arabia’s
foreign minister,
Adel al-Jubeir,
responding to
Germany’s
decision to cut
off arms sales
to countries
involved in the
war in Yemen
23%
U.K.
$29.5 billion
Raytheon (U.S.)
$22.9 billion
BAE Systems (U.K.)
$22.8 billion
3.6%
France
Northrop Grumman (U.S.)
$21.4 billion
12.4%
Other
General Dynamics (U.S.)
$19.2 billion