Posted on 05/26/2003 6:08:54 AM PDT by freepatriot32
WASHINGTON, DC -- An allied military plan to confiscate weapons in Iraq may destabilize the nation further by giving the green light to street thugs and Baath Party loyalists who are terrorizing innocent civilians, says the Libertarian Party.
"Imposing this gun grab is like declaring war on Iraq for a second time," said Geoffrey Neale, Libertarian Party chairman. "How many innocent men, women and children will be kidnapped, robbed or murdered because their U.S. 'protectors' turned self-defense into a crime?"
Iraqi citizens will be forced to surrender their heavy weapons under a proclamation expected this week from U.S. and British forces.
The goal, allied commanders say, is to stabilize the war-torn nation by confiscating arms such as AK-47s, grenades and machine guns wielded by criminal gangs, paramilitary groups and remnants of Saddam Hussein's government.
The demand for gun confiscation rests on the breathtakingly naïve belief that criminals -- whether in Iraq, the United States or anywhere else -- will obediently turn in their weapons, Neale added.
"If Saddam's henchmen wanted to surrender their guns to an occupying army they would have done so already," he said. "And if criminal gangs don't comply with laws against looting, murder and kidnapping they certainly won't comply with a new gun regulation.
"This weapons ban will just make all of their jobs easier by disarming their potential victims."
Though Iraqis will be permitted to keep small arms at home for protection, the heavier, soon-to-be-banned weapons may also be necessary for self-defense in the postwar mayhem, Libertarians point out.
"Why should Iraqi civilians have less of a right to choose their weapons than allied troops have to choose their weapons?" Neale asked.
"To the authorities who arrogantly claim that Iraqis don't 'need' an assault gun or a grenade, we say: Why don't you surrender your assault guns and grenades? If you really believe Iraqi citizens will be safer living under this gun control edict, set an example by complying with your own law."
The demand for the gun ban is actually a stark admission that occupation forces have failed in their most important, post-war mission of protecting the population, Neale said.
"Let's not punish innocent men, women and children for the U.S. military's inability to secure the peace," he said. "Wouldn't it be a tragedy if Iraqis who survived the horrors of Saddam Hussein became casualties of the U.S. government's gun grab?"
May 26, 2003 Release Number: 03-05-91
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
THIRD ARMORED CAVALRY REGIMENT CONVOY AMBUSHED
CAMP DOHA, Kuwait -- One U.S. soldier was killed this morning, and another wounded when a 3d Armored Cavalry Regiment convoy was attacked this morning near Hadithah, a town about 120 miles northwest of Baghdad.
The eight-vehicle convoy was conducting a resupply mission from Al Asad Air Base to Al Qaim when it was attacked at about 6:15 a.m. (11:15 p.m., May 25 EST). An unknown number of attackers fired small arms, rocket-propelled grenades and heavy machine guns at the convoy. Attack helicopters and ground forces were immediately brought in to secure the area and seek out the attackers.
The injured soldier was evacuated by helicopter. Both soldiers' names are being withheld pending next-of-kin notification.
"If Saddam's henchmen wanted to surrender their guns to an occupying army they would have done so already," he said. "And if criminal gangs don't comply with laws against looting, murder and kidnapping they certainly won't comply with a new gun regulation.
"This weapons ban will just make all of their jobs easier by disarming their potential victims."
AMEN. A brilliant commentary from the Libertarian party.
Bravo.
I sometimes think it's a shame that, given the rest of their platform and the damage I believe a Libertarian sweep would bring with it, that I could never cast a vote for one.
The LP needs to stop reading the mainstream media, or at least only the mainstream media. The MM has been reporting this issue as if the policy includes arms suitable for individual defense, or even individual offenisve actions, other that RPGs, grenades, and so forth. From the CENTCOM news release
Starting June 1, the people of Iraq will have a 14 day amnesty period to turn in unauthorized weapons to Coalition forces at weapons control points here and throughout the country.
Unauthorized weapons are defined as: automatic firearms firing ammunition larger than 7.62mm; machine guns or crew-served weapons; anti-tank weapons; anti-aircraft weapons; indirect fire weapons; all armored vehicles or self-propelled weapons; and high explosives and explosive devices.
...
Small arms--including automatic rifles firing ammunition up to 7.62mm, semi-automatic rifles, shotguns, and pistols--may be possessed in homes and in a place of business. Small arms must remain at these sites and may not be taken out in public.
The LP is of course correct in that no supporters of Saddam will turn in their heavy weapons, not voluntarily anyway.
It makes for easy identification.
According to the most of the rhetoric I've heard, we are builiding a Democracy not a Constitutional Republic in Iraq.
LOL - but there it is!
Thanks for the ping, Gary. ;-)
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