In exploring the dynamics of Ukrainian Arms transfers I found myself being drawn into network theory.  I am now seeking to understand the dynamics of the world arms transfer and how the structure of that network affects the arms trade and its outcomes.  Research is still very preliminary.  Below is a principle components layout of the international arms trade from 1992-2008.  The sheer number of ties makes the graph fairly difficult to interpret.  I am working on alternate measures and pulling network components out of the data in order to run a more robust statistical analysis.  The interesting thing about this graph is the location of the Ukraine and Russia.  The graph is divided into principle components and so the U.S., Ukraine, and Russia all seem to occupy a privileged position in the network.  More on this later....