Harper Government Seeking To Buy 2 Million Bullets For Afghan Army's Old Soviet Guns .... Canadian taxpayers will foot the bill ...
(Let's see if the Canadian Taxpayers Federation * will speak out on this one ... )
OTTAWA–The military is looking for more than 2 million rounds of ammunition for Soviet guns, a curious purchase experts say appears destined for the weapons of Afghan soldiers under the charge of the Canadian army in Kandahar.
The Department of National Defence wants to buy more than 1 million bullets compatible with the Afghan National Army's main rifle, the AK-47, which was first designed by Mikhail Kalashnikov in 1947 and adopted by the Soviet military two years later.
The Canadian military is also seeking 600,000 rounds that are compatible with a PK mounted machine gun, another weapon in the Afghan army's arsenal, and 150,000 9mm bullets designed for Soviet-made Makarov and Stechkin pistols, according to documents outlining the proposed purchase.
"We certainly don't use them," Senator Colin Kenny, chair of the Senate committee on defence and national security, said of the ammunition sought. "I could see us making them available to kandaks (Afghan battalions)."
The Star
* - The CTF is a Canadian right wing pro-business lobby! You cannot take out 'membership' in the CTF. They will take your donations, but the Board (whose membership is not publicly disclosed), runs the organization ... there are no public annual general meetings nor published annual reports that are available to the general public. (Note ... I haven't thrown a jab at the CTF for some time now ... so I am due)! ;)
OTTAWA–The military is looking for more than 2 million rounds of ammunition for Soviet guns, a curious purchase experts say appears destined for the weapons of Afghan soldiers under the charge of the Canadian army in Kandahar.
The Department of National Defence wants to buy more than 1 million bullets compatible with the Afghan National Army's main rifle, the AK-47, which was first designed by Mikhail Kalashnikov in 1947 and adopted by the Soviet military two years later.
The Canadian military is also seeking 600,000 rounds that are compatible with a PK mounted machine gun, another weapon in the Afghan army's arsenal, and 150,000 9mm bullets designed for Soviet-made Makarov and Stechkin pistols, according to documents outlining the proposed purchase.
"We certainly don't use them," Senator Colin Kenny, chair of the Senate committee on defence and national security, said of the ammunition sought. "I could see us making them available to kandaks (Afghan battalions)."
The Star
* - The CTF is a Canadian right wing pro-business lobby! You cannot take out 'membership' in the CTF. They will take your donations, but the Board (whose membership is not publicly disclosed), runs the organization ... there are no public annual general meetings nor published annual reports that are available to the general public. (Note ... I haven't thrown a jab at the CTF for some time now ... so I am due)! ;)
