From a forum on www.militaryltd.com:
“The debate over the Army’s choice to purchase hundreds of thousands of M4 carbines for its new brigade combat teams is facing stiff opposition from a small group of senators who say the rifle may be inferior to others already in the field.
“In an April 12 letter to acting Army Secretary Pete Geren, Oklahoma Republican Sen. Tom Coburn said purchase of the M4 - a shortened version of the Vietnam-era M16 - was based on requirements from the early 1990s and that better, more reliable weapons exist that could give Army troops a more effective weapon.
“Coburn asked the Army to hold a “free and open competition” before inking sole-source contracts worth about $375 million to M4 manufacturer, West Hartford, Conn.-based Colt Defense - which just received a $50 million Army contract for M4s on April 20.
“I am concerned with the Army’s plans to procure nearly half a million new rifles outside of any competitive process,” Coburn wrote in the mid-April letter obtained by Military.com.”
Anybody know whether this would have any impact one way or another on our town?
14 Comments
May 1, 2007 at 8:51 am
What, no Ode to the M4 by Joe Visconti?
Since apparently none of Colt’s competitors are located in Oklahoma, Coburn seems motivated by a sincere interest in providing the best weaponry to American soldiers. Also, he co-sponsored with Obama the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act. So while in some respects Coburn is a loathsome individual, he’s right on the money here.
$375 million sounds like impact to me. Not that I know the first thing about it.
May 1, 2007 at 2:02 pm
Well we certainly would want the US military to have the most effective implements for killing that are available wouldn’t we?
May 1, 2007 at 4:33 pm
If my son or daughter were fighting the war, I would want them to have the best equipment available. But they’re not. It’s just other people’s sons and daughters who are fighting the war.
I hate the war, but that’s beside the point.
May 1, 2007 at 8:24 pm
Two Turtle Doves and an M4 in a Palm Tree.
May 2, 2007 at 7:03 pm
turtle, you’re right…other peoples kids are fighting this war….and other peoples kids are also being slaughtered by these first class US weapons. You’ll have to explain to me why the kid who lives down the block from us is more deserving of life than the kid who grows up in Baghdad or Kabul.
May 2, 2007 at 9:04 pm
Since I wouldn’t make that assertion, why should I have to explain it to you?
(Mr. Visconti: pretty good!)
May 2, 2007 at 11:42 pm
I’ve spoken with a few soldiers who say the M4 is a fine weapon, but lacks the stopping power they’d like. The bullet is relatively small, about the size of a 22 caliber.
A larger bullet would be more useful in stopping the bad guys, I’m told. A new weapon would be required if we were to provide that larger bullet.
And I don’t suppose that would be good for Colt’s or West Hartford.
May 3, 2007 at 7:30 am
We did start the Fire!
By Billy Joe Visconti
The M4 won’t stop the wars
Like all were Told and Sold before
The Politician’s alibie’s
Ain’t gonna stop the suicide’s
The Bleeding hearts are holding hands
From Waco to Afghanistan
The secret for the peace we want
Is tax them all and call detente
Were’s Nixon and the communist’s?
I miss the old man’s dirty tricks
Oh Ronald Regan and Hillary’s Boy
You sent Obama all our toys
Watch Exxon Mobil as they dance
Invest in Google take a chance
Now India is cashing in
While Pakistan hides Mr Bin
Supercalifragilistic
Look Iran’s has gone Ballsitic
Earthquakes from the Ocean Floors
And Tidal Waves to US stores
China feeds the world with Yen
And buys up all the melamine
Ipod’s sure can save the day
If I- slam doesn’t have it’s way
The Colt’s have won the Superbowl
With M4’s we can win the War
May 3, 2007 at 8:09 am
turtle, I understand it’s an uncomfortable (or what does what’s his name call it, “inconvenient”) truth, but when a U.S. soldier picks up a rifle in Iraq or Afghanistan, it’s to kill somebody else’s child. Now, if you happen to think the war is a just one, that may not trouble you. But if the war is not just . . . if it is, in fact, a war of occupation by the U.S. in order to facilitate control of that region’s natural resources . . . then supporting better weapons for “our troops” is also supporting the more effective killing of people who have a right and a reason to oppose that occupation.
May 3, 2007 at 9:20 am
Yes, the US invaded Iraq to facilitate control of the Persian Gulf and is an occupying power. I favor ending the occupation, or, as the Democrats sweetly put it, “End The War”. However, I am an American citizen and can’t advocate providing inferior weaponry to US soldiers on the grounds that they are fighting an unjust war. Soldiers don’t make policy, as you know.
Meanwhile, Joe Visconti, you made a gross slip (if it was a slip) in your latest creation. Tut tut.
May 3, 2007 at 5:31 pm
Turtle you caught it?, just want to see if anyone was paying attention …..Obama Osama…… what else did you see? got some stuff in there for only the Brightest Bloggers
May 4, 2007 at 9:44 am
“Soldiers don’t make policy” true. Neither do the people they kill. Supporting better weapons for “our troops” is supporting better ways of killing Iraqis and Afghanis.
May 4, 2007 at 6:21 pm
How do you spell Volunteer Military? Get over it already.
May 10, 2007 at 4:46 pm
COLT IS CLOSE TO PRODUCING THEIR NEW GAS PISTON SYSTEM WHICH WILL ELIMINATE THE SO CALLED PROBLEMS WITH THE DIRECT GAS SYSTEM. IF THERE IS A COMPETITION I’M SURE COLT WILL ENTER THIS AND CONTINUE ON MAKING OUR WEAPONS. I OWN 2 AR’S AND THEY ARE FUNCTIONAL AND I LOVE THEM BUT I’M NOT IN COMBAT EITHER.
Leave a Reply