Friday was definitely a gloomy day for advocates of arms control, but perhaps marked the beginning of a propitious period for major weapons manufacturers.
It saw the collapse of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty or INF Treaty . The administration of US President Donald Trump formally withdrew the United States from another hard-earned deal. Trumps Secretary of state Mike Pompeo announced the withdrawal, blaming it on Russia.
The American pullout triggered Moscow to announce the end of the INF. America unveiled its plan to abandon the arms control pact last year after it accused Russia of violations, including a new Russian projectile that allegedly falls within the range prohibited by the INF.