I wonder why we didn't use this law in Fallujah? Any baddies using machine guns, we arrest them and charge them under the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988.
Of course, if our guys were in Fallujah without warrants from an Iraqi judge, and proper visas from Iraqi immigration authorities, and permit to carry from Iraqi security authorities, maybe they might be charged under the same law.
Maybe Somali pirates can be arrested under this law. We've evidently had trouble coming up with legal justification for stopping them; if they use a handgun for which they have a permit, we're stuck. Or a rocket launcher, thats probably not covered under the law, so they're fine. But use a machine gun, and we can pop'em and put'em away for a really long time. Unless they scoot back into Somali waters, and our troops don't have visas again.
Dang it!
If this is the case then I'm sure we can charge appropriate members of the State Department with conspiracy for helping them get the weapons in the country.
This might stem from a case in California where charges were brought against a Marine by a U.S. court for something that happened in Iraq. The charges included aggravating counts of using a weapon.