“Our Western partners headed by the United States prefer not to be guided by international law in their practical policies, but by the rule of the gun. They have come to believe in their exceptionalism and their sense of being the chosen ones. That they can decide the destinies of the world, that it is only them who can be right.” – Russian President Vladimir Putin, Putin says U.S. guided by ‘the rule of the gun’ in foreign policy [via Reuters]
Seems pretty spot on to me. This has been our foreign policy since the Cold War.
Had we not had that belief then the world would have been a much different place without us to counter balance Stalin and Mao. Picture the world of today if at the end of ww2 the Americans had stood down their military and retreated from the world stage.
Would we still have 1a and 2a rights to argue about? Would the argument itself land us in the gulag or worse?
Nick, not to be pedantic but it’s not a loophole that lets you make your own gun. Its right there in the law.
It was a deliberate choice on thr part of thr BATFE to declare that one portion of a gun – in the case of the AR-15, the lower – is the “real” gun while everything else isn’t. There’s the loophole – they chose to make “the gun” part be a part that’s readily able to be finished at home with a modest shop, and to declare what can and can’t be done on that “non-gun” piece before a serial number goes on. They chose a relatively non-stressed part so you don’t need to necessarily make it out of metal, either. Et voila – it can be made out of plastic and a lot of the hard bits for a home machinist can already be done.
If they had designated the barrel, say, as “the gun” they likely wouldn’t have this problem.
We are exceptional, in theory. Name one other country that has the same level of personal freedom that our constitution protects. This is especially true with the 2nd amendment.
Sometimes the smartest person in the room has to keep the rowdy people in check… or is it out of Czech.
Then again I believe we should be more isolationist than global nanny.
I think when people refer to “American exceptionalism” they are referencing the fact that the U.S. government does many of the same things that it invades other countries for doing. Sorta like, the U.S. can do it, but nobody else is allowed to.
No, American exceptionalism is the fact that America is capable of accomplishing great feats no other country can. Name me another country that’s landed men on the moon? Who else has rovers (plural) on Mars? What other country has a satellite that’s left our solar system? Who invented the computer processor, ushering in todays modern marvels and great discoveries? Who pulled everyones bacon out of WWI and WWI with our military and our money? When natural disasters hit other countries, what countries private citizens donate more money than other countries combined donations, or their own countries taxpayer funded aid for that matter? What other country has freed itself from the largest world power at the time, kept it’s freedom, then the leaders of the revolution wrote a document transferring that power to the people of the nation and not keeping it for themselves? Exceptional? I think we’ve earned that description.
Putin’s not using “execptionalism” as a compliment. I agree that’s how Americans see it, but people in other countries have a different point of view.
No one may have nukes, except the U.S.
No one may invade other countries, except the U.S.
No one may meddle in another countries political process, except the U.S.
No one may have a military presence all over the world, exept the U.S.
That’s how U.S. “exceptionalism” is viewed from outside our borders.
I may disagree with your other stuff but your last statement on WWII is more or less correct. Actually the country that saved Stalin’s bacon was Japan. When Japan made the decision to go South in September, 1941 this information was prompty reported to the Soviets by Richard Sorge. Now that Stalin knew that Japan would not attack in the Far East he was able to send the bulk of these force to launch the counterattact that save Moscow in December 1941. Had Japan gone north game over for the Soviet Union.
While you are more or less correct about the nature of WWII the United States with key player. We projected immense amounts of combat power on a global scale in all warfare domains. Nobody could do that. However, had Japan stayed neutral in the World War and settled the China War the US could have devoted all that combat power to the war in Europe. We would have rolled over the Germans and if necessary the Soviets without any problems.
Empty headed, yes, but what is a comment on the internet anyway? An message sent into the void that noone will remember in 10-20 years.
Finland didn’t screw up, they didn’t want to be part of it. They just played both Russia and Germany for their own benefit.
What I wouldn’t give to be Putin my boot up his ass.
I noticed they’re cocked. Are they locked? Safety first! Livvy is a cute name. I like it, but I’m a tattoo fan so it doesn’t take much to win me over. Thanks for sharing RB.
That picture…
Putin is building Russia up, while Obama is tearing US down.
Oh great, I can see it coming now, all machinists will need to be registered and tracked by the gov’t. /sarc
As a machinist, I’m interested in seeing the final determination here, an 80% receiver is a great time saver, but I have some raw forgings laying around too. Never mind that one could go to Home Depot and buy components that are more easily turned into complete firearms than any commercial 80% product. Where will it end?
Possibly a stupid question, but if “Once a gun, always a gun” is the way the ATF sees it. Shouldn’t ‘de-activated’ guns still be guns? Even if it’s done by a certified gunsmith?
So it would be a good time to sell these pallets of 22LR clogging up the garages of America?
Let me suggest Path#3, based on Nick’s previous reporting (click on the link in the article). Once the ATF discovered an illegal Mexican immigrant, a convicted felon, milling out the lowers in the back of LCG Parts and Accessories in CA, some manager at the ATF hit the “Fast and Furious” panic button.
The ATF scenario might go like this: Mexican gang members or drug cartels might be buying 80% receivers and mass producing untraceable ARs, and we HAVE to investigate and shut this down RIGHT NOW or the shit will hit the fan. The legality of the lowers is one legal tangle (for them), where they’re headed is another. Karras says that the Ares records of production and SALES were seized, but doesn’t say anything about the product. It’s just a matter of time before some serious thugs are found with an AR with no SSN, and that’s going to be the ATF’s excuse. My $$ is on Diane Feinstein to introduce the bill banning the manufacture of partial receivers.
Nice! Better ammunition through chemistry!
“Don’t Believe
the AmmoConspiracy Theories.”Fixed it for you.
“Karras was not able to see the search warrant”
Am I the only one that is not alarmed by this? They must show a signed warrant. Saying they have a warrant is meaningless particularly since they can say anything factual or contrived. I don’t know if they’re required to provide a copy or an opportunity to make a copy, but still.
Randy Dunn – my local Democratically Elected Representative for Life, recently sponsored HB1949 in the MO state legislature, which would have created a duty to retreat during a home invasion. Unfortunately, both KC and St Louis are firmly in the grip of Democrat machines. Fortunately, the rest of the state isn’t, so this stuff just dies in committee.
This new process is almost exactly how they have been refining copper for many years now…. Less polluting, and more efficient….. But you still need to burn something to produce the electricity…
Thanks, Great Article….Was wondering what those fancy sights are called.
Considering which side of this dispute to believe, this would be the same ATF that was sending guns to the Mexican drug cartels under the Fast and Furious scheme, right? In an attempt to demonize gun owners to make the case for Obama’s “we have to ban assault weapons because they are getting into Mexican drug cartels’ hands” scheme, right?
As far as most of us are concerned, the ATF is guilty until proven innocent.
Another source of large caliber air rifles is Quackenbush Air Guns.
People hunt big game with these types of air guns. The Lewis and Clark expedition’s air rifle is, IMO, arguably the most important gun in American history.
Okay, now that all of that is out of the way, someone tell us what is the make/model of the pistol he is holding. You know, the important stuff.
As noted earlier, it appears to be the Stechkin 9mm automatic pistol, with an attachable holster/buttstock & full auto capable. Model of 1951.
(Drool, drool)
Put it to ballistics gel and be done with it. It’s cool and I’m sure loads of fun. Will I buy some? Probably not, kinda takes away from the challenge of archery, but that doesn’t mean I wouldn’t like seeing them in action.
I don’t carry at work, per se, every day, because I work in a BIG building. But days that I work late, and catch the bus, I have and will pack at work. Hate to get robbed and executed while leaving work late night. But, I do carry a tactical knife and pepper spray EVERYDAY at work. Better than nothing. Ideally, I’d love to have my 9mm on my hip, I just worry about it accidentally becoming exposed if my shirt comes up, etc. Might just buy a pocket gun and pack everyday.
I’ll be radical here. I’ll suggest a Short Magazine Lee Enfield, probably restocked. Here’s why:
Magazine or stripper-clip fed
Incredibly accurate for a WW2 rifle
Can be rechambered for the more popular .308, rather than .303 British
Reliable as f**k
Can be restocked into a polymer stock.
I know this is just for the rifle, but I think Vasily’s sidearm should be a Makarov PM because:
Reliable as f**k, again
Light, as it is rather compact
Won’t get in the way when moving, as is small
Plenty of magazines can be carried.
If he needs a fifty, maybe a Barrett.
Up-close-and personal has to be the Vector SMG
Knife, obviously the Fairbairne & Sykes Commando knife.
Silent work, AS Val
Hope you like this loadout idea, a bit radical, though. No-one else mentioned an SMLE, good gun. One of the few I’ve had the chance to hold a deactivated model of, too.
Still waiting for something like the Girandoni air rifle, modernized of course.
Why is it so hard for someone to make an airgun (semi auto or bolt action) with a 10-20 round tube mag using .308 bullets (the bullets themselves not the cartridge)? With a big enough air tank for 40-50 shots at subsonic velocities (600-900 fps).
Sadly, definitely.
The locks themselves are dirt-cheap, but the administrative overhead to send out these letters, process the requests, and send the locks out would be expensive – and I thought the VA was mostly cash-poor. I’m far from being a conspiracy theorist, but this does just reek of being some sort of stealth/sting operation to compile a list of gun-owning vets.
Folks who get this letter need to dutifully fill it out – with their dog’s name at a fictitious address.
Stalin does not approve. Use your body to stop the enemy’s bullets comrade!
Some tactics are more equal than others.
If the workers were on his property what right do they have to even call the police to complain?
Does the U.S. Government want to disarm the population? No
Do certain governmental officials, in varying degrees, want to? Yes.
I have to respect Putin for a whole list of reasons – there’s no shame in respecting your enemy and he’s formidable. He’s Steve Jobs to Microsoft in the late 90s coming back to Apple so he can kick some @ss. Putin while not a communist is a Russian Nationalist and a strong proponent of Russian Nationalism and he blames the US for Russia’s economic woes of the 80s and 90s and wants to make us suffer. In essence he’s looking for ways to rub our noses in it.
Russia has a strong sense of nationalism much stronger than we currently have in the US if you don’t believe me go watch the recently released Stalingrad movie. It’s the modern Russian version of a John Wayne flick that was so over the top with nationalistic pride I laughed through it. Their attitude is that they are the underdogs but kicked the Nazi @sses and that’s exactly the Russian mentality towards the US. We should be concerned and even a little frightened because they’re not an enemy we can just roll up on and kick the sh!t out of (and if you think they are think again) and they’re just looking for an excuse for a fight with us.
We won’t go to war over Crimea but this annexing of smaller countries on his border is vaguely reminiscent of 1930s Europe only difference is Putin isn’t insane and has ready access to oil. My guess we’ll be at war with Russia at least indirectly (think Korea 1950s) in the near future.
I’m confused. That article is from 2011. If they changed the process, why is the EPA shutting them down now? That might be outdated material above. Maybe they decided not to do the changes?
Yes people, that is a Nazi eagle on his left arm. The one below it looks remarkably like an SS Deaths Head.
They are probably evaluating the feasibility of funneling them thru the CIA to insurgents.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g1Q_j__XmQ0
I live in Delaware and have enjoyed watching the lefties twitching on the floors today because of this decision. This state used to be moderately conservative but now resembles a Karl Marx fan club which makes this even more entertaining.
“OPD Sgt. Matt Manhart told WOWT that”Any time we can get a criminal or hoodlum or any type of a dirtbag drug dealer off the streets, it’s going to make the neighborhood and the city a lot more safe.””
FIFY Sgt. Matt.
Maybe they should have criminal buy backs and the long suffering families of these vermin can get a grand for turning in their known felon relatives.
“The ATF’s jackbooted and illegal raid…”
No, illegal would be if they didn’t get a warrant and follow due process. This is just something you don’t like… there’s a difference.
Probably were too many boots around, though.
If you popped them they would have gone after you for carrying where you should not of earlier in the evening. The knife may have disappeared as well, making you the new GZ. I agree not carrying put you at risk but no one got hurt and you’re not on the news.
I base ammo on the type of gun, number of guns in a caliber I have, and practical use rates.
Ex. My .38 special is only a 6 shot gun and I use it solely for target shooting. 200 rounds is plenty and I just buy a box when I take it out.
I have a few .22 so I like to have 1500 to 2000 rounds on hand because they are easy to shoot and I can load 10 at a time.
I have a variety of shotgun shells in different styles for hunting and clay birds. You can never have too many shells for scatter guns.
The AR is a gun I can’t shoot indoors so I only take it out rarely. Even so I have a few hundred rounds on hand in case .308 dries up completely.
And so on. I don’t feel out of ammo in anything except .22 because it’s so expensive relative to what you get and they are my favorite guns to enjoy shooting recreationally.
The soviets were always good at dying at a higher rate than their enemy to insure victory.
The idea that the mosin nagant was the key to victory on the eastern front is one that the delusional can entertain. An antique bolt action that goes bang and can hit what it points at
For immediate release:
‘Victory against the gun control crazies (GCC-trademark) is ours!!
Today millions of law abiding gun owners were able to exercise their right to bear arms. Many carried loaded weapons with them for personal protection. Others took their weapons to various gun ranges for training. Nearly all were able to keep their weapons another day.’
-The right to keep and bear arms,The Right, is recognized by the US Constitution, has been the law of land since 1789, and has been defending the citizens of this country from enemies foreign and domestic. Despite efforts by anti-American fascist forces that comprise the GCC, The Right remains the leading rule in proclaiming the natural civil-right for self defense.
I had a .38 shoved into my face in London/Brighton while filming there for CBS in 1981. My sound man was with me. I talked the guy out of ripping us off and to put his pistol away. As a former Marine I was not nervous, but was surprised. I filmed the event, but CBS would not let it out.
Jerry seems like the kind of guy who holds court in a bar with the guys paying for his tab and bar food and the women swooning to sit near him. . . .
I think pellet guns are a great way to learn how to shoot but they are still dangerous and should be handled with care because they are still weapons after all.
Well, at least I know where the St. Louis pol got the flamethrower idea from….
Gun absolutist?
Not necessarily.
Constitution absolutist?
Damn straight.