“There’s everything from M-16s to F-16s, and anything in between,” said Rachel J. Stohl, a senior analyst at the Center for Defense Information, a nonprofit group often critical of military spending. “You can’t get everything you want. But, boy, can you get a bargain.”

Between 2000 and 2005, the Pentagon offered up wares originally valued at $8 billion: helicopters, torpedoes, airplanes, a wind tunnel, utility landing craft, cargo trucks, high-power radars, missiles, ammunition, uniforms and tenders, harbor craft and other vessels.

Around $2 billion of this merchandise was given away to countries deemed needy enough to qualify. Another $800 million was sold at drastically reduced prices — even as low as 5 cents on the dollar. The rest had no takers.