Any reliable rifle beats just a handgun!
I think this is more a story about the lack of intelligence found in modern logistics. Tankers are not riflemen, but when pressed into that service they need rifles, not pistols!! So, Improvise, Adapt, Overcome!! Available AK's get pressed into service and I applaud that decision over the pencil pushing REMF's idiocy. Though 30 round bursts are not a good way to train by any stretch of the imagination!
I spent four years as a Grunt packing the mighty mattel poodle shooter and was not terribly thrilled by it then. But it was short,light, handy, reliable(if kept clean, except in SAND!), and would hit a man in the chest at 500 meters with a supersonic bullet. And it was what I was given, no other option, period(though I did get to carry my HK91 a couple of times...mainly because the CO wanted to shoot it!) OK. Make use of what you have.
Yes, they improved it since then. Stabilized bullet, dotted sights, battery powered doodads that can be quite handy(surefires in afghan caves).
And they play with it still.....landwarrior, thermal imagery, computers, etc.
Warfare is often about simplicity though, and for close range, reliable combat...the AK is hard to beat. I have owned both...but if the Caca got deep tomorrow, my AK would be the one I grabbed first.
Why? I am not worried about sniping a bad guy at 500 meters. I want a reliable machine with credible thump for 250 yards or less. I want it to take abit of abuse, if necessary, I want it to be able to drop a deer if necessary. I want it to do a simple, yet complicated job...save my butt!!
Yes the silly sights can shift(that is why I like the Valmet/Galil style peep sight!), yes, it ain't real good at long distance. Yes the silly safety sucks the big green one!(Oy Vay, that 'Clack!"). But It WORKS anywhere, anytime, any clime or place!
Heck, for urban warfare, especially in the desert...if you offered me a M-4 with all the doodads or a cheap AK...I'd grab the AK! Same goes for a M9 Beretta and an old beat up 1911A1, though I would prefer one of my customized 1911's, I'd take the basic one over any nine millimeter....especially if ball was all you got for ammo.
Grunts like it simple!
Locate, Close With, Destroy!
Where's the Beer?
What? No Women? Are you sure?(uh, Sir!)
Semper Fi,
Jercamp45