U.S. AK's to Iraq

[JoshM]

By Mark Fineman

In a nation awash with hundreds of thousands of AK-47 assault rifles, the U.S.-led occupation authority is planning to buy and import 34,000 more of the ubiquitous weapons to equip a new Iraqi army.

The plan has baffled some observers, not only because U.S. forces in Iraq have already seized and stockpiled thousands of the rifles since April, but because defense analysts have strongly recommended that the new Iraqi army be equipped with more modern, U.S.-made weapons.

The AK-47, designed by Russians shortly after World War II, is manufactured almost exclusively in former Soviet Bloc countries and China. Among the possible beneficiaries of such an unlikely U.S. order: Poland, where the assault rifles are made and support for the war in Iraq has been strong.

With a bidding deadline today, the Coalition Provisional Authority now running Iraq is quietly seeking the best deal on the arsenal from U.S.-licensed arms dealers, asking that they deliver the assault weapons to the Taji military base north of Baghdad by Sept. 3. The plans were spelled out on its official Web site this week.

more here
http://globalsecurity.org/org/news/2003/030808-ak7-iraq01.htm

 

[DMK]

Three thoughts:

1) Didn't they crush a bunch of them? Now we have to buy them new ones?

2) Why not the AK? You don't have to retrain them, they are already familiar. They also know how they work in their environment.

3) They are a bunch of Arab Jeb Clampetts. Get them selling some oil and they can buy their own darn weapons.

 

[Zip06]

Who thinks this stuff up? First, why would anyone buy AK-47's? Are we trying to insure a supply of ammo for all the insurgent forces? Are we going to purchase ammo also. If so, the US Government should go to the next gunshow and buy 7.62x39 for $75/1000 rounds. I suppose we will begin supplying RPG's also.

If AK's are the solution, whats the matter with reissuing captured equipment?

If we have to buy AK's why not get them from US manufacturers like Arsenal?

Sounds like this one is poorly thought out.

 

[Hkmp5sd]

Who cares if the Coalition Provisional Authority in Iraq purchases new Ak-47s from Poland to arm a new military force? Is the news media running out of things to complain about?

 

[Destructo6]

Maybe they, the new Iraqi administration, wanted AKs and not ARs.

As for them coming from Poland, I'm all for remembering your friends.

As for who should pay for them, I tend to think the new Iraqi administration should, though they may need them before they have much in their coffers.

 

[Gordon]

Although I want Iraqui oil to pay for guns and reparations I think the classic Polish gun with the barrel 180'd back to firer's forehead would solve alot of problems in that 'cradle of humanity'.

 

[Sir Galahad]

There are a number of unsaid reasons for this:

1.) In the event the weapons get turned against U.S. troops, they will sound like AKs because they are AKs. Now, were you to equip the Iraqis with M-16s, the report from those will sound just like friendly fire and lead to confusion. Infiltrators would love it. As a result, U.S. troops would get jumpy and fire at any weapons chatter, leading to friendly fire casualties.

2.) By issuing Polish AKs, we get to control accountability. If a Polish AK turns up in the hands of the Fedayeen and we capture the weapon, we look at the serial number (and they will have extra numbers where the average numbskull fedayeen can't dreface them) and we know who the weapon was issued to, who signed for it, etc., etc. We catch that joker and he cools his heels in a brig--forever. Or he cools his heels in a pine box---forever. Whichever comes first.

3.) Were we have to abandon this whole soiree, as could possibly happen, we won't be faced with the embarrassment of M-16s in the hands of the enemy as happened after the fall of South Vietnam and Cambodia. Plus, we won't have the bonus embarrassment of M-16s being trafficked to terrorists, as captured Israeli and South Vietnam issued M-16s already are.

4.) We can pretty much control the ammo supply. They can't just knock off a U.S. convoy to get more ammo. There's probably tons of 7.62x39, so this isn't a major consideration, though.

5.) More cost-effective. Face it, AKs cost less than M-16s. They require less maintenance. Mags are cheaper and last longer.

6.) Arming them with our issue weapon LOOKS too much like colonialism. It reminds people too much of the Brits arming colonial forces with Lee-Enfields. At this point, they're trying hard not to present a colonialist image.

 

[WonderNine]

If they grind the serial # off you can still read the imprint left on the metal with special equipment and therefore read the serial #.