Half Fast And Furious

I'm still trying to get my mind around the Obama Administration letting, and sometimes even paying for, a whole slew of firearms to go out the doors of gun shops in the hands of straw purchasers.  Worse, it seems that some even left in the hands of at least one feller with a criminal record. I have a lot of questions about this thing but let's start with the simple fact that it is illegal for a gun to leave the store in the hands of a criminal. I The only way a gun leaves the store without the storekeeper calling the FBI hotline for an instant background check is if the buyer shows a valid CCW.  Now, if the shopkeeper calls the hotline he's got to tell the Feebs all about the buyer and the purchase.

 This raises further questions in my poor bald head. For instance, why would the Feebs okay a cash purchase of dozens (or more) of the same kind of shootin' iron without asking for a lot more information. I've never had the money to buy a dozen guns at once, I've never been in the business of buying or selling guns. I have know several folks who have been in that business, though.They all used checks or plastic to buy their stock. Heck, I'm not even in the business and the only times I've ever bought guns with cash have been when buying from individuals, as when I bought a couple from fellow Single Action Shooting Society members.

 Anyhow, this is all the proof I need to show that this operation went beyond one agency. I know it's not enough for a court of law but then I'm not a lawyer. I do have some standards.

 I also wonder why the cartel(s?) wanted to buy these guns. Seems that most of them were semi-auto versions of the AK-47. Due to the mountain of restrictions in this country the old Kalashnikov is more expensive in a US shop that a fully auto version still in the crate in, say Venezuela. I know the cartels have bathtubs full of cash but, still, why would one pay more money for a less capable weapon? It isn't like the cartels are the US government.

 I confess, I've not run a detailed study of the cartels. I do a little reading, though, and I check out Bob Owens at Confederate Yankee, as well as the Sipsey Street Irregulars so I do know a little bit about this operation. So here are just a few things I know. There are slews of Mexican soldiers deserting to the cartels. They bring their US supplied M-16s. A certain amount of garrison commanders have brought their whole arsenals with them when they came over. When that happens the US simple writes another check more more guns to the Mexicans, lather, rinse, repeat.

 Truth to tell, though, the cartels really prefer the AKs. The Kalashnikov is much more friendly to a gunman who is not much on maintenance. The M16 must be kept really clean, the Ak will shoot with all kinds of crud in and on it. The '16 is a lot more accurate, in the hands of a marksman but the cartels do not have a lot of marksmen.

 Another think I can't figure out is how this bunch of numbskulls thought they could get a slew of federal law enforcement officers to keep quiet while this whole thing played out. The majority of Feds are cops, not politicians. And real cops aren't going to stand for the killing of hundreds of civilians, a few Feds and, it now seems, the arming of Chicago area gangs fro Indiana gun shops.

 I have a lot more questions but this is a start. The only thing I can think of to explain this is if the whole Obama Administration, from the President down to the janitor are all a bunch of affirmative action retards.