Dear Sir, HURRAH! Thank you Ken Owen (More money for SA's military beast, June 24) for pointing out that there is no end to militarist demands to spend taxpayers' money. Business Day, regrettably, was among the media that gullibly swallowed the canard that R30bn expenditure on warships and warplanes would magically translate into offsets to fast-track SA's economic development.

Finance Minister Trevor Manuel reluctantly concedes that in two years the cost of the arms deal rocketed from R30bn to R52,7bn. That's also before finance costs that will double the bill. Even Manuel has no idea of the final cost, given currency depreciation and other increases.

Economists Allied For Arms Reduction SA was one of very few voices to object, and continues to insist that the arms deal is far from being a "done deal". The warships and warplanes aren't delivered yet, let alone paid for. The arms deal can still be cancelled, with the German and British taxpayers (rather than South Africans) having to bear the costs.

Hopefully European governments will then think twice before promoting arms sales to countries such as SA that have social priorities long before squandering money on "toys for boys".

Terry Crawford-Browne Economists Allied For Arms Reduction SA

With acknowledgements to Terry Crawford-Browne and Business Day.