Posted on 05/27/2003 2:17:10 PM PDT by Tailgunner Joe
WASHINGTON TIMES.com: "CHINESE FIRM HIT WITH SANCTIONS" by Bill Gertz (ARTICLE SNIPPET: "The Bush administration has imposed stiff economic sanctions on one of China's largest state-run manufacturers for selling missile-related goods to Iran. The two-year sanctions will, for the first time, bar any exports to the United States from a Chinese firm, in this case North China Industries Corp., known as Norinco, which manufactures an array of military and civilian products.") (May 23, 2003)
BUSH COUNTRY.org: "CHINA PROVIDES TERRORISM'S NEW WEAPON" by Gordon Thomas (ARTICLE SNIPPET: "The world's Terror Network has been given a new weapon. It can overcome the most stringent of airport and airline security checks. Far more lethal than Semtex, it can be smuggled with virtual impunity from one country to another, one terrorist cell to another. For the 80 terror groups listed on the computers of the CIA, MI5, MI6 and Germany's BND, the weapon once more tips the scales in their favor. It is a new type of plastic explosive that was used by the two young British radical Muslims in last week's suicide bomb attack on the club in Tel Aviv. Three were killed and 50 injured. One of the suicide bombers escaped, leaving behind some explosive. After a week of intensive investigation by chemists at Israel's ultra-secret research centre in the Tel Aviv suburb of Nes Ziona, its lethal qualities and country of background have been discovered. It was at the centre, in one of the most guarded places on earth, the explosive was analyzed behind two-feet thick dun-colored concrete walls and bombproof sliding doors. The conclusion of the scientists sent a collective shock wave through the intelligence community. The Israeli experts concluded that the explosives were manufactured in the laboratories of ZDF, one of China's leading military defense contractors.") (May 20, 2003) (Read More...)
US DOJ.gov: "OREGON RESIDENT MAHER HAWASH CHARGED IN ‘PORTLAND SIX’ CONSPIRACY" (PRESS RELEASE SNIPPET: "WASHINGTON, D.C. - Attorney General John Ashcroft, Assistant Attorney General Michael Chertoff of the Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Michael W. Mosman of the District of Oregon, and Special Agent in Charge Charles Mathews III of the Portland Division of the FBI today announced that Maher Mofeid Hawash has been charged with conspiracy as part of an ongoing criminal investigation into the activities of the so-called “Portland Six." Hawash, 39, of Hillsboro, Oregon, was charged in a criminal complaint with conspiracy to levy war against the United States, in violation of 18 USC Section 2384; conspiracy to provide material support and resources to al Qaeda, a foreign terrorist organization, in violation of 18 USC Section 2339B; and conspiracy to contribute services to al Qaeda and the Taliban, in violation of 50 USC Section 1705(b). The complaint alleges that Hawash, along with Jeffrey Battle, Patrice Ford, Muhammad Bilal, Ahmed Bilal and Habis Al Saoub, decided after the September 11th attacks to fight a jihad. The charges allege that the defendants began to travel to Afghanistan in October 2001 to join forces with Taliban and al Qaeda troops fighting U.S. and allied military personnel. According to the complaint, which was filed before U.S. District Judge Robert E. Jones, Hawash left the United States on Oct. 24, 2001, and flew to Hong Kong, where he joined defendants Battle, Ford, Ahmed Bilal, Muhammad Bilal and Al Saoub, and entered into China. The complaint alleges that Hawash traveled with the other defendants to Urumqi and Kashgar in the Xinjaing Province in Western China, and to Beijing, in an attempt to enter Afghanistan and fight against U.S. forces after Sept. 11, 2001. The complaint alleges that Hawash and the other defendants stayed at the same hotels in China on at least three occasions: at the Shan Cheng Hotel in Urumqi; at the Chini Bagh Guest House in Kashgar, China, in October 2001, where Hawash and Battle shared a room; and at the Jing Hua Hotel in Beijing, with a departure date of Nov. 11, 2001.") (April 28, 2003) (Read More...)
FOX NEWS.com (AP): "FORMER FBI AGENT INDICTED IN CHINA SPY CASE" (ARTICLE SNIPPET: "WASHINGTON -- A federal grand jury indicted a retired FBI agent Wednesday on charges of gross negligence and wire fraud for allegedly allowing his longtime intelligence source and lover access to secrets she passed on to China. The grand jury indictment returned in Los Angeles and released by the Justice Department in Washington charges James J. Smith, 59, for his role in the case of alleged Chinese double agent Katrina Leung. Court documents say that Smith recruited Leung in 1982 to be an FBI "asset" providing intelligence on China and that the two began a long-lasting affair that year. Prosecutors say Leung pilfered classified material from Smith's briefcase when he visited her home and passed the information to Chinese intelligence agents.") (May 7, 2003) (Read More...)
An Informative Discussion on FREEREPUBLIC.com regarding an ASSOCIATED PRESS article by Curt Anderson as published on BAYAREA.com in the CONTRA COSTA TIMES.com: "DOUBLE-AGENT MET 2,100 TIMES WITH CHINESE OFFICIALS" (May 2, 2003) (Read More...)
WASHINGTON TIMES.com: "NORTH KOREA FIRED LASER AT TROOPS" by Bill Gertz (ARTICLE SNIPPET: "However, U.S. intelligence officials said an internal analysis of the incident suggests North Korea has acquired Chinese-made ZM-87 antipersonnel lasers. "These are blinding laser weapons," said one official. According to the officials, the two Apache attack helicopters were airborne about two miles south of the milewide DMZ when laser sensors on both aircraft went off. The ZM-87 is the world's only laser device designed for use against troops. It can cause injuries to human eyes at a range of just under two miles, and with a special magnification device it can damage eyes at distances of up to three miles, military specialists say.") (May 13, 2003) (Read More...)
INATODAY.com - INTERNATIONAL NEWS ANALYSIS -- TODAY by Toby Westerman: "FASCIST AMERICA? Russia and Communist Cuba Join In 'Anti-Fascist-Front'" (ARTICLE SNIPPET: "At the Moscow meeting, Russia declared that Cuba is its "key partner in Latin America." The Russian Foreign Ministry issued a press statement referring to an "active political dialogue based on mutual trust" between Russia and Cuba. "The two countries have similar or identical stances on a whole number of global political issues. Most importantly…on the construction of a fair and stable world order," the Russian Foreign Ministry declared. The "construction of a fair and stable world order" for Cuba and Russia includes sophisticated intelligence operations against the United States. Cuban operates a sophisticated intelligence program against the U.S. One of its highly placed agents, Ana Belen Montes, worked at the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency before her arrest and conviction of espionage in October 2002. The "Wasp Network," a Cuban espionage group spying on U.S. military facilities, was uncovered by the FBI and five of its leaders convicted in 2001. In 2001 the U.S. intelligence community was rocked by the discovery that top FBI intelligence agent Robert Hanssen spied on his country for Moscow for 20 years. On the island of Cuba, Russia still operates the Lourdes spy base, while Russia's close ally, China, is constructing a similar base not far away from Lourdes.") (April 29, 2003) (Read More...)
INATODAY.com - INTERNATIONAL NEWS ANALYSIS -- TODAY by Toby Westerman: "NEW RED TERROR" (ARTICLE SNIPPET: "China maintains "high level military contacts" with Cuba, and is constructing an electronic spy base eight to ten miles from Russia's Lourdes intelligence facility, according to Dennis Hays, Executive Vice President of the pro-democracy exile group, the Cuban American National Foundation. The Chinese spy base, which would be capable of intercepting, and possibly jamming, U.S. electronic signals, "should be a security concern" to the U.S., urged Hays in an interview with INA Today. Hays also warned that the communist Chinese are active throughout the South American continent. The Cuban state-run press is openly discussing the "very strong ties with the Cuban military," said Perez, who notes that several Chinese generals have recently visited Cuba. In addition to China, Cuba's traditional friend and supporter, Russia, is still involved in the island.") (April 18, 2003) (Read More...)
WASHINGTON TIMES.com: "CHINESE SOLD IRAQ 'DUAL-USE' CHEMICAL" by Bill Gertz (ARTICLE SNIPPET: "Despite French denials, U.S. intelligence and defense officials have confirmed that Iraq purchased from China a chemical used in making fuel for long-range missiles, with help from brokers in France and Syria.") (March 15, 2003) (Read More...)
I was expressing an informed opinion about Norinco quality.
I don't think my opinion had anything to do with Bush's decision. Call me crazy.
??? I've had early and post-ban Norinco SKS rifles. Only the trigger housing was changed to stamped steel in later production runs; the rest of the firearm is forged. Both versions were acceptably accurate. I agree that the original Russian version is a nicer weapon, but the differences that you mention are mostly aesthetic.
Anyway, the biggest news here is the non-firearms stuff. Looks like dark days ahead for Harbor Freight Tools, Big Lots, etc. - I'll happily continue to forego the Chinese guns if this action rids our retailers' shelves of potmetal socket wrenches and similar garbage (I can dream, can't I?).
I bought 3 Norinco SKSs about 1994 for $79 each at a Houston gun show. One of them was so far off target I could not drift the sights far enough to bring it in. Only one of them really shot well. I sold them for more than I paid for them a year later and bought a Russian SKS that is a tack driver with the standard iron sights.
You're right, it may all be aesthetics, but that's part of what guns are all about. Otherwise we would all be shooting Daisies.
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