Posted on 04/29/2005 6:15:28 AM PDT by ninenot
Edited on 04/29/2005 12:43:34 PM PDT by Jim Robinson. [history]
WASHINGTON - The U.S. Army has approved the purchase of more than $29 million worth of weapons for the new Iraqi army from a Chinese state-owned company that's under indictment in California in connection with the smuggling of 2,000 AK-47 automatic rifles into the United States in 1996.
(Excerpt) Read more at miami.com ...
This is real stupid as when the army find weapons in Iraq it destroys them only to spend taxpayer money to buy new ones from this group...
The Army wants AK-47s? Hells bells, they could have just asked many of the gun owners in the western US to sell their to the Army. Had I known that the Army was in the market...
Geez, why doesn't an American firm produce them under license? Why didn't the Army approach one of the many Eastern European countries that continue to produce them?
You said it! After careful inspection to ensure that captured weapons are not boobytrapped or inserviceable, they should have been handed over to the Iraqi forces.
As could many other friendly countries that need the business. Well maybe the Chinese rifles will be delivered through Wal-Mart.
Krebs Custom Guns produces,IMLHO, the finest Kalashnikov in the world right here in the U.s. of A. They are finely machined and accurate right out of the box while keeping the legendary Kalashnikov durability.
We need to support our domestic weapons industry.
And the Army is not buying these because...
I read thies article and my first reaction was "WTF!?"
If the Army is not going to Buy American, then they should at least buy from the eastern European countries who were our allies in Iraq.
We do. A Texas firm I believe makes AK-47s. But we are expensive and those building them may not be able to build them fast enough.
Typically we equip a foreign force with weapons they know to use, can incorporate in their doctrine, and logistically support.
If anything, this Chinese firm was probably the cheapest buy and biggest bang for the buck in a basket of several suppliers, was able to produce them in time (or maybe even had them on hand?), and was willing to make this deal.
An AK47 despite all the oooooo-aaaaahhhhhh is a primitive, inaccurate, heavy weapon that neither penetrates well nor has great target affects (against a human). Yes it’s very reliable. Opinion now- I think the AK47 is a POS. Especially nowadays where there are so many modifications for M4/16, G36, M8……available. The AK has little in high end mods available for it.
I imagine this is necessary because many of the weapons in Iraq were distributed out to the masses before we entered. Nearly every household has an AK. Many probably were destroyed or damaged and the New Iraqi Army, ICDC, IP or what ever else they have by now need “functional” better weapons than the recycled old crap that’s being picked up off the road in some TCP or Cordon and Search.
Some Arab countries build AK’s too! Some like Jordan could be rewarded this way as well. I bet there is a lot more than this one deal. You also have to manage risk and not put all your eggs in one basket. I imagine that we are buying these AKs from various nations (We MUST be-I’m near positive). China is an option and source. For all we know they may be a smaller supplier with the Ukraine, Jordan….. being the main suppliers (Nations that directly or indirectly helped us).
Red6
There you go! $1,500 a piece vs. what? $30.
Red6
Anyone want to make a bet that we are buying this crap from China so they stay on our side regarding North Korea?
OK, $30 may be a little over understated. But look at the amount of ammo they are buying!
Go look up what ammo costs. Even when in these volumes, if it's good stuff that will chew up a huge amount of that money.
Consider a MG costs more than a rifle. A HMG costs WAY MORE than a rifle and they are getting 2,369 of them.
Figure included but not mentioned are spare parts. These type of deliveries often include things like extra firing pins and other wear and tear or easily breakable parts.
This does not sound so scandalous to me.
Red6
Thats a nice 47. It even comes with a Rail System. Nothing better in the sand.
Its possible that the new arms will help investigators
determine whether diversions to the black market from the security services and army are taking place.
They didn't ban sales from this company because the M14 knockoffs were evil assault rifles either, as you can readily buy from Springfield armory (for 1,000) and other sources. If this company is so bad that they banned sales from them to us poor serfs, the government shouldn't deal with them either.
As is typical the government uses us serfs to punish these companies, but the government itself has no need to stick to the same limitations once they aren't convenient. Why does the gov. buy from them? They are cheap, same reason I want to buy from them.
patent
All I know is what I read in the newspapers.
It's not "just" a PRChina firm...it's a company which was directly involved in gun-running into the USA, explicitly after the "gang-banger" market.
So far as I am concerned, M-16A2's or Uzis would have been just fine. AK's are nice, but no reason not to upgrade...
The RKBA lives on in Iraq.
Good point
It's called manufacturing investment opportunities. We destroy the weapons forcing the Country to buy all new - and likely from us. It isn't moral, perhaps; but, it is in keeping with the way the two party system thinks. The Dems are probably fit to be tied because it isn't companies owned by their buddies that are getting the contracts.. or perhaps they are just not getting the credit for it.. The den of thieves at work.. but they're our thieves so it must be ok.. wink wink nudge nudge
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.