Articles by Ray Smith

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Swiss Step Up Arms Exports, Peacefully
Ray Smith, IPS – TRANSCEND Media Service, 17 Mar 2014

Switzerland’s army doesn’t go to war – but its military equipment does. In 2011, Saudi Arabia used Swiss Piranha tanks to crack down on protests in Bahrain. Libyan rebels used Swiss ammunition against Muammar Gaddafi’s troops, and Syrian rebels have been throwing Swiss hand grenades against President Bashar Assad’s soldiers. Swiss assault rifles were exported to Ukraine and have now been used against civilians.

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Switzerland: Giant Companies Pinpricked by ‘Direct Democracy’
Ray Smith Reprint, IPS – TRANSCEND Media Service, 21 Oct 2013

A Swiss village has decided to reject tax money from Glencore and donate it to charities. Other towns may follow, sending a strong signal to the government to introduce transparency rules for the extractive industry. “Our tax regulation is deeply unfair; it makes us rich, while people in extraction countries suffer, as the companies evade taxation there.”

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