The Assault Weapons Ban and our Soldiers

[erpowers]

Does anyone know if the ending of the Assault Weapons Ban will affect the soldiers in Iraq and Afganistan? Will the end of this ban allow the insurgents to buy a larger amount of more powerful weapons, or are they already able to buy these types of weapons?

[jpgray]

1. Eh, they have no need to import weapons in Iraq

Stuff like an RPG or full-auto AK47 would be close to impossible to get here, but are widely available over there.

[billbuckhead]

2. 50 caliber sniper rifles from USA may play a part someday in

something truly awful.

[NickB79]

9. Much cheaper Russian alternatives overseas

Because the number of Russian 14.5mm heavy rifles in Iraq right now is quite impressive, and are actually neck-and-neck with the performance of .50 BMG rifles. The availablity and cost of the rifles and ammunition is quite a bit better for the 14.5mm than for the .50 BMG.

Anyways, the "threat" from a .50 BMG or other heavy rifle is so overblown it's laughable. If you have ever fired a .50 BMG round, you would realize just how difficult it is to use such a large, powerful rifle to it's full potential without much practice and thousands of dollars in optics and quality ammunition. It's no small feat to hit a man-sized target at 500+ meters, even with a .50 BMG.

Anyways, .50 BMG rifles were never banned or otherwise affected by the 1994 AWB.

[AFSCME girl]

3. Thanks for posting this question....

I was wondering the same thing myself.

[skidsareforkids]

4. .50 cal rifles

Were not affected by the AWB plus I really don't see your average street thug buying a $7,000 rifle that is almost 5 feet long and weighs close to 30 pounds unloaded.

[merh]

5. Knowing *&co. they let the ban expire because they intend to

make the soldiers and the soldiers' families buy the automatic weapons for them. Don't tax the rich to pay for the war, make the soldiers bring their own equipment. Pay the private security officers more than 3X than what you pay the soldiers and let the company supply the weapons, but make the soldiers supply their own.

I hate *&co! :mad:

[Liberty2001]

8. huh?

I feel like I have to correct this because sometimes I think that hatred of * gets in the way of critical thinking.

The assault weapons ban expired because CONGRESS let it expire. The president, WHOEVER HE/SHE IS, can only sign laws that CONGRESS passes.

CONGRESS passes laws ... and the President signs them ... and the President is not even required to sign them, nor is he absolutely needed for a bill to become law.

I know the temptation is to want to blame * for anything and everything, but really people, don't let the hatred cloud your thinking to the point where you make such apparently absurd, conspiratorial statements. Does that mean that * didn't want the ban to expire ... of course not ... but you have to put the blame squarely on Congress for not passing the bill and putting a bill before * in the first place.

And in that regard Repubs AND MANY DEMOCRATS did not want the ban revived. The gun lobby is powerful and has spooked many a politician.

[NickB79]

10. The AWB has NOTHING to do with automatic weapons

Just semi-automatic firearms. How can soldier's families buy the automatic weapons for them then?

[comradebillyboy]

6. u s made weapons are more expensive than ak-47s

which have been made in every east block country and china for years. i hear that you can buy a full auto (ie a real assault rifle) ak-47 in bagdad for about $25. fully automatic weapons are still mostly illegal for private possession in the us. a semi auto us legal version of the ak-47 goes for about $300 and an ar-15 (semi auto version of the m-16 assault rifle) starts at $800 in the us, per the ads in "shotgun news".

these weapons were available before the ban ended. the ban banned bayonet lugs, very large ammunition clips, collapsable stocks, threaded barrels, flash supressors and a few other cosmetic features.

[slackmaster]

7. Not a chance

The firearms formerly known as assault weapons lack selective-fire capability. People in Iraq and Afghanistan have access to real military firearms for a lot less money than a US made knockoff would cost.