Wednesday, May 04, 2005

Arms Control Doesn't Work

Every so often, I take a look at the "gungeon," a gun rights vs. gun control forum at DemocraticUnderground.com (DU) where leftist pro-gunnies argue with leftist gun grabbers.

Many pro-gunnies argue that Democrat asshattery on guns have led to Democrat losses in recent elections. Gun grabbers believe being anti-gun is a core belief and so they can't compromise. They must grab guns; it's who they are. They are also infuriatingly ignorant about guns and often patronizing.

I feel for pro-gunnies because they're hitting their heads against a brick wall. They won't win in a party that embraces Diane Feinstein and Chuck Schumer.

While on DU, I found a thread about what's happening in Sudan, the genocide of Darfur. Pro-gunnie "Beevul" started it with a link to an editorial in the Pittsburgh Tribune written by pro-gun writer Dimitri Vassilaros. His first sentence is enough to make Sarah Brady faint, "The slaughter, rape and torment of the citizens of Darfur would end if humanitarian aid included guns."

The first post after Beevul launched his thread wonders where the Sudan is getting their arms and why can't they be blocked. Others answered, pointing out Sudan is a government. One poster mentioned millions of AK-47s that are in circulation. Then, "Virginia Mountainman" in post 17 links something very interesting, Russia's arms export webpage, Rusarms, which I've never seen before.

It's not clear who Rusarms (actually named Rosoboronexport) sells to and its prices aren't listed. But, one can buy a training facility complete with firing ranges, or one can hire experts to teach military subjects, even have them build entire bases. The site doesn't support external links, but take a look around for yourself. Here are a few other things I found.

If you want a submarine, they've got several types to choose from. You'll find a 155 mm self-propelled howitzer if that's on your shopping list. You want AK-47s, they have them in abundance. If you've got cash to burn, how about a Tu-22M3 Long-Range Strategic Bomber.

If you're a terrorist and want small arms suitable for assassination missions in American shopping malls, why risk buying semi-auto AK-47s in American gun stores when you can get a friendly government to buy you crates of 9mm KLIN submachine guns? A discriminating terrorist might pick up a few 5.66mm APS Underwater Assault Rifles.

I could go on, but it would only get tedious. Besides, I wish I could shoot small arms on their lists, but my government won't let me touch most of them.

DU's thread goes on from there, but I got a number of things from what little I read in it. For one, we'll never achieve world peace through arms control. It can't happen. Too many weapons exist now. Too many countries make too much money selling arms. Too many people are willing to smuggle weapons.

Likewise, gun control in America can never work for similar reasons. Even if our Congress Critters banned guns, supply is too large, demand would be too high, and black market profits would be too astronomical to stop criminals from buying and dealing in illicit weapons. Criminals will get guns and people will supply them even if they have to actually set up their own workshops, or buy them from Rusarms.

Another idea I got from DU's thread is about terrorism: Terrorists will always have friendly states who'll front arms purchases for them. America may be able to crush training bases in such states, but we'll never stop a sympathetic dictator from passing a handful of his army's weapons to terrorist cells.

Finally, maybe gunnies need to set up a country. We could hire Russians to build firing ranges. Then we could buy ammunition and fully-auto AK-47s, etc. and shoot to our hearts' content. Maybe set it up as a place for gunnies to visit, a playground devoted to burning gunpowder for the sheer joy and skill of shooting. Oh well, wishful thinking. Besides, I can't afford my own country and I love being an American.

No comments: