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I saw this article on Yahoo today.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/6665759.stm
It seems to indicate that the Iraqi Army is getting all new M16 or M4 rifles. I was unaware of this and this is the first I had heard about it. Does anyone know more about this re-armament deal? Exactly how many of these are they getting and what exactly are they paying for them. I am also kind of worried that many of these will end up in the local weapons bazaar just like many of those Glocks we bought for the Iraqi police.
I hope they pay more than the $200 a piece that the Isrealis do, or at least so I've heard. I wish I could get prices like that.
But, I guess I was most confused with the statement about "needing to replace their aging Kalishnakovs." I don't want to get into to the debate of AR vs. AK, but I would think they are the two main contenders for any military contract at this time. They already have AKs, why do they need new guns? (I am more of an AK person myself if I had to pick one all around rifle.)
Many other countries are still using AKs and buying new ones. I can't find the articles anywhere right now, but didn't the US recently re-arm the Afghan Army with AK's and 7.62x39? Is the AR really better for Iraq specifically?
Either way it is kind of strange to me, because both countries are always described as awash with guns. You know AK in every house, and pictures of rooms stacked floor to ceiling with ammo. But now the same papers are telling me they need more guns and ammo. I can understand why the troops need to blow up a lot of the big stuff they find and the really old stuff the find, but seems like a lot of usable small arms ammo is getting destroyed too.
Is this whole thing political? I know the AR purchase will send a lot of money back to the States, but I just don't know if it is neccessary. If it's US money to begin with, it seems the taxpayer is getting screwed in the end.
SOX
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/6665759.stm
It seems to indicate that the Iraqi Army is getting all new M16 or M4 rifles. I was unaware of this and this is the first I had heard about it. Does anyone know more about this re-armament deal? Exactly how many of these are they getting and what exactly are they paying for them. I am also kind of worried that many of these will end up in the local weapons bazaar just like many of those Glocks we bought for the Iraqi police.
I hope they pay more than the $200 a piece that the Isrealis do, or at least so I've heard. I wish I could get prices like that.
But, I guess I was most confused with the statement about "needing to replace their aging Kalishnakovs." I don't want to get into to the debate of AR vs. AK, but I would think they are the two main contenders for any military contract at this time. They already have AKs, why do they need new guns? (I am more of an AK person myself if I had to pick one all around rifle.)
Many other countries are still using AKs and buying new ones. I can't find the articles anywhere right now, but didn't the US recently re-arm the Afghan Army with AK's and 7.62x39? Is the AR really better for Iraq specifically?
Either way it is kind of strange to me, because both countries are always described as awash with guns. You know AK in every house, and pictures of rooms stacked floor to ceiling with ammo. But now the same papers are telling me they need more guns and ammo. I can understand why the troops need to blow up a lot of the big stuff they find and the really old stuff the find, but seems like a lot of usable small arms ammo is getting destroyed too.
Is this whole thing political? I know the AR purchase will send a lot of money back to the States, but I just don't know if it is neccessary. If it's US money to begin with, it seems the taxpayer is getting screwed in the end.
SOX