Worldwide military spending soars.

• Position: Washington PULSE

The number of armed conflicts worldwide declined to 39 in 2005--the lowest figure since the peak (62 conflicts) in the early 1990s. Yet at the same time, global military expenditures hit $1.02 trillion, the highest spending since 1991, when they reached $1.15 trillion, says a recent report by the Worldwatch Institute. While the United States, Russia, China, India, Israel and Saudi Arabia rank among the top countries that revved up their spending, Brazil, Mexico and Germany were notably among those cutting back, the...