Sunday, November 14, 2010

Another "US-Supplied Cartel Guns" Story (!)

Well, now we have Justice's IG writing a report on ATF's "Project Gunrunner." He's not particularly happy about ATF's activity.

And, to nobody's surprise, the MSM has interpreted the IG's remarks as an indictment of "Big Gun", which will be this year's version of "Big Oil," "Big Pharma," (etc.) You know the drill.

Unfortunately, it is very difficult to read the IG's statement as an indictment of.....anybody.

...It also said the majority of recovered guns in Mexico were not traced, although trace requests to ATF for guns recovered in Mexico increased from 5,834 in fiscal 2004 to 22,000 in fiscal 2009. It said most trace requests from Mexico are considered "unsuccessful" because of missing or improperly entered gun data....

Umnnnh...if it cannot be traced to a US dealer, then how, exactly, do we "know" that the weapon came from the US, other than it may have been manufactured here? (And "may have been" is another question, no?)

Earlier on, we read this:

ATF and other law-enforcement agencies have seized thousands of firearms, including assault rifles, semiautomatic rifles, grenade launchers, pistols and .38 caliber "Super" pistols.

The weasel-wording in that sentence boggles the mind. Let's first get "grenade launchers" out of the way: you can't buy those at your basic neighborhood gun shop, let alone Cabela's. You CAN steal them from a military armory, of course.

But it's a lot easier to buy them from the Mexican authorities if you also buy their affections.

Further: the sentence implies that there's a difference between "assault rifles" and "semiautomatic rifles." In fact, there are several differences, all of which are significant to an informed reading of the report. But if "assault rifles" means "full-auto," that's another category of guns that can't be purchased from a licensed dealer in the US, unless you have a special permit.

But it's a lot easier to buy them from the Mexican authorities, if you also buy their affections.

ATF did its best to say what I've said above, without saying it:

ATF Deputy Director Kenneth E. Melson...said the agency was operating "in an unprecedented capacity in Mexico" and was providing more assistance regarding firearms trafficking and explosives investigations than ever before.

"Our work in Mexico has not been without challenges, including effective sharing of information," he said. "Accordingly, these very dynamic circumstances create information-sharing challenges...

Face it. Mexico is within a twidge of becoming a failed State. ATF cannot "share" information with Mexican authorities, because the cartels can buy the affections of those folks easily.

Is the US retail gun dealer supplying cartel weapons? Not likely.

HT: Arms/Law

1 comment:

Billiam said...

Dad, you know as well as I do that the media rely on two things. The ignorance of it's readership, and the lock-step marching of the 'true believers' who are their lapdogs. As long as they can rely on those two things, they can print whatever they want, whether it's true or not.