Saturday, July 24, 2010

Comments From The Right

Bill Wells July 23, 2010 at 21:10

All this and the notice a few years ago (2007) that Venezuela purchased an entire factory from the Russians to build AK-47s to entire the world’s arms business. The world could mean many of its neighbors.

Chuck Hill July 23, 2010 at 23:29

The AK-47 plant has to have been a bad business decision, since AK-47s seem to be a “glut on the market” with all the old soviet era ones forcing the price down.

Seriously I can understand one country lead by a crazy, but I hate to see other countries seeming to be moving in that direction. That is very discouraging.

Bill Smith July 24, 2010 at 00:13

As an aside on the AK deal — the plant is actually building AK-103s which are a vastly updated system. Basically, it’s the AK-74 with a new/modified gas system (that improves reliability), black plastic furniture (which is better to resist jungle humidity) with a side-folding buttstock, and a resin-reinforced magazine system. The 103 version has all the updates with the throw-back caliber of the original 7.62 x 39mm. I’ve got an AK-108 which is the same thing, chambered in 5.56mm NATO. It’s an extremely reliable rifle. Better than my ARs and Sig 556. I’ve choosen it over all other assault rifles for my SHTF rifle.

My bet is the reason for this arms deal was so that Venezuala could have internal control and supply for their small arms needs. Not to mention that they can now supply rifles and ammo to FARC or anyone else in central/south america where they can cause trouble. So, it’s not really a bad business decision – they’re getting the best, most up-to-date version of the highest-reputed combat rifle in the world (each one worth more than a container full of 40-yr-old, worn-out, village-gunsmithed AKMs from Africa), and internal control over production regardless of US sanctions…

All of this is just symptomology that there is a major war brewing in So. America. Only real question is when, and how it all falls out. At this point, I’d say the pot is simmering. A few bubbles or rumbles or shaking of the lid from now and then, but if the heat keeps going up, we’ll see that pot boil over. Definitely before Chavez gets too old or in danger of being removed from office.

http://cgblog.org/2010/07/23/trouble-in-latin-america/comment-page-1/#comment-7559