The FUBAR that is project gun runner

Lately, with the escalating drug violence in Mexico,  mexican officials have been calling for america to reinstate the assualt weapons ban. While the numbers they quote are alarming, a little more investigation reveals why they are so upset. While they feel cartels are buying guns in America legally, the truth is far worse.

The current system that stops criminals from buying guns in the u.s. is rather simple. After filling out a form 4473, and passing a criminal background check, your allowed to purchase any firearm you like. A form of valid state i.d. is also necessary. If a firearms dealer is suspicious of a sale or buyer, they inform BATF while performing the background check. The Media likes to paint a picture where anyone can go to a gun show and purchase a rifle or handgun, while it is clearly not the case, and many dealers are painted as sleazy, wiling to let anyone purchase a gun as long as they have cash. This is simply not the truth, and very far from it.

Project Gun-runner was a operation cooked up by BATF. The idea was simple, with the help of gun sellers along the border, they would target suspected gun smugglers. The Reality is tragic. Gun sellers did there part, tipping off BATF to multiple suspicious sales, men coming in with bags of cash, looking for hundreds of assault weapons and pistols. When Dealers called authoritys to report the situation, they were told, agianst there objections, to let the purchases happen. The BATF knowingly allowed, and encouraged, the large sale of firearms to mexican drug cartels. The reasoning? They figured they would follow the guns, across the border and into mexico, to quickly find the heads of cartels and smuggling operations. They feared the weapons would show up in gun violence, and they did. First in Mexico, in raids performed by the mexican authoritys and shoot outs with police forces. The ultimate fear was some of the guns would end up causing harm to federal agents. Many Agents in the BATF reported there concerns, often upon deaf ears. Higher-ups would have none of it, there was a propaganda war to rage.

• BATFE knowingly allowed as many as 2,500 firearms to be sold illegally to known or suspected straw purchasers. One of those purchasers accounted for over 700 illegal guns.
• BATFE agents who opposed the operation and who raised objections were told to “get with the program” and threatened with job retaliation if they continued their opposition.
• Senior BATFE officials in Washington were regularly briefed on the operation and approved of the tactics employed.      -nra-ila

Then the "unthinkable" happened. Border agent Brian Terry was shot in a altercation with cartels along the border. The weapons used by the thugs? A couple of AK-47's that BATF had "let walk" across the border. Around 2500 weapons were  allowed into the hands of cartels, all while the BATF watched them, every step of the way. I sure hope they have a case by this point. This is a outrage, not only to the people of Mexico, but to the people of the United States. BATF DO YOUR JOB PLEASE. I want heads to roll for this, they are doing the opposite of what we pay them to do, and why? Who in the Hierarchy of the ATF has the balls to let this shit happen, and the balls to admit to it. Didn't think so, it's all politics, and who ever is at fault needs to be put down. But why? That is what i want to know.

CRAZY CONSPIRACY  THEORY TIME

Seeing as no one has come forward to explain the situation, i'm going to give you my crazy idea as to why anyone would allow this kind of thing. Gun control, it sure makes re-instating the assault weapons ban easier if american guns are killing Mexican and american agents. Well, that is until the people find out the truth. gun owners and dealers knew the truth, no firearms dealer could sleep tight at night if they knowingly sold to guns that would be used to harm people, esp. by a cartel. So, when it was realized that cartels were using weapons stolen from Mexico's broke down military, and police forces who are not only widely corrupt, but scared for there lives. The BATF just decided to let it happen. Helps the dems re-instate the ban if we MAKE it happen right? That way the american people are that much more willing to accept the inevitable nato-backed complete firearms removal act, and there are no real weapons for them to defend themselves with. An American is dead,which could have been prevented, and that is unacceptable

Libyan Improvised weapons

Every Rebels best friend, the handy molotov cocktail.

While it has long been know the rebels in libya are strapped for weapons, it's intersting to see tinkers and what they've strapped together over there. The Atlantic has posted a wonderful set showing some of these weapons. While we see the usual weapons, a few things in the images that show possible evidence of the use of high tier mercenary's, or "contractor", the more politically correct word for hired killers. Think Black water, only working for the bad guys (the high bidder).

FN2000 with 40mm grenade attachment, this weapon was captured by rebels.

Any fan of CoD or any other "modern" shooter will recognize the space gun to our left *ahem*. It is the Belgium made FN2000, and yes, it costs as much as it looks like. No army in the area uses these rifles, and Qaddafi's wasn't know to have them. They have never been adopted or purchased on a large scale.

Libyan Arm-chair commando

Many Libyans can be seen using the much older and more widely adopted FAL, this weapon has been a staple of this conflict and many others in the past. It is know for it's hard hitting power and reliability. It's nice to see the rebels haven't lost all comforts in there efforts to fight Qaddfi. His buddy appears to have your standard AK, which can be found all across the world. How the rebels ended up with so many nice shiny FAL's that make me jealous? Who knows, maybe a gift from nato, the guys that almost all used them in the past or currently.

This Rebellion Should show people the world over that with the right tools and a little ingenuity, the underdog can have a fighting chance. It is also a great study in what happens when people are disarmed by there government, one of the first moves of any tyrant since the invention firearms. I leave you with this image, one of a man who looks much happier having the re-tooled helicopter rocket pod behind him on his side. 

I will admit, it is not very practical for hunting needs

Libyan Bob Marley?