Lone Wolves in the USA (new title)

[davidbfpo]

Carl,

Elsewhere I have read, possibly on Mother Jones, that a Californian public workers pension fund has withdrawn support for an investment in a gun-maker and others using the power of the US$ have taken action.

[carl]

David:

That is true and it is the left coast unions being self righteous, mostly. Let's see if they do something that will affect the future actions of the disturbed young men like go after the Enquirer. They won't.

[davidbfpo]

An attempt to provide some answers by a post-grad LE student, before the Newtown murders; 'Analytical Method for The Identification of Lone Wolf Terrorist', just over ninety pgs, double-spaced and it can be downloaded from:http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.c...act_id=2041939

From the Abstract:

A case study approach is used to explore and reveal common themes across three different incidents of lone wolf attacks. The research results revealed what has been termed as rhetoric shifts that act as markers in the evolution of a lone wolf terrorist. Based on the results of case study, an analytical method is explored and proposed for the identification of lone wolf terrorist from within the broader population they exist

On my first read it is interesting, although without direction and resources (including training and data-sharing) it is easy to see this approach floundering. At least the author has tried, which makes his paper of value.

The shorter version is:

The Newtown school shooting has re-awakened debates not only on gun control and mental illness, but also on the role of law enforcement in detecting and eliminating emerging threats. Quietly emerging is a solution that means not more guns, but more militarization.

Link to an article:http://www.opendemocracy.net/opensec...st-911-america

The author, now in the private sector, has a short bio on:http://www.pennassoc.com/OwnerAndFounder/index.html

[carl]

A friend of mine in CA was able to get three stores in his town to pull the Enquirer from the news stand or turn the issues so the back cover was showing not the front. All he did was ask them.

[davidbfpo]

I spent a career carrying typically either a M16, and later a M4 carbine..And a M4 carbine fires a .223 caliber round, which is 5.56 millimeters, at about 3,000 feet per second. When it hits a human body, the effects are devastating. It's designed to do that. That's what our soldiers ought to carry.

I personally don't think there's any need for that kind of weaponry on the streets and particularly around the schools in America. I believe that we've got to take a serious look -- I understand everybody's desire to have whatever they want -- but we have to protect our children and our police and we have to protect our population. And I think we have to take a very mature look at that.

I think serious action is necessary. Sometimes we talk about very limited actions on the edges, and I just don't think that's enough.

Asked what his message was to the National Rifle Association and the House Judiciary Committee:

I think we have to look at the situation in America. The number of people killed by firearms is extraordinary compared to other nations. I don't think we're a bloodthirsty culture, and we need to look at everything we can do to safeguard our people.

Stanley McChrystal said this today on MSNBC's "Morning Joe."

Will this make a difference? The article says:

..he is still revered by many as a top general, and his comments are significant for a former member of the military. If he does continue to advocate for gun control, he could be a significant voice in a movement whose opposition appeals to machismo.

Link:http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/0...n_2431063.html

[Kiwigrunt]

Always good to get some expert opinion (from the vid on David’s link, based on McChrystal’s remarks on .223):

“…You get hit with a modern weapon and it will take your arm off….”
“I know…”
“…it won’t just leave a bullet hole….”
“…we don’t need to be told that….”

[slapout9]

To be accurate he was a FIRED retired soldier who didn't have the common sense not to insult his own commander in chief.

[Ken White]

Anyone who makes or supports the statement:

“…You get hit with a modern weapon and it will take your arm off….”

is likely not an expert...

That's an ideological or political statement, not a factual or accurate comment.

So a guy who got where he was by playing politics then left because he was playing politics is again entering a political fray. Smart. Real smart...

[carl]

Stanley McChrystal's new career depends upon his uttering the conventional wisdom as it is understood by the inside the beltway elite. He is going to do that anyway because when they get to multi-star level, they are in the heart of that elite. In other words, he will be the media darling if he says the right thing which he is inclined to do anyway. It is good for his career.

As far as his remarks about the fabled lethality of the 5.56 round, a lot of that comes from the initial effort to sell the M-16 to the military and can be directly traced to a pilot program that they ran in VN in 1962 or 63. They gave the weapon to some ARVN troops and used the results in promoting the weapon. The 'hit in the arm and the arm comes off' stuff came from there

This is very well related in The Great Rifle Controversy, which was a great book by the way.

http://www.amazon.com/Great-Rifle-Co...le+controversy

Ken White at one time somewhere or other said that as far as lethality goes, a 30.06 tops a 7.62x51 which tops a 5.56x45. I figured he would probably know. If you want a really lethal bullet try a modern big or medium game cartridge in something like 7mm or 25.06. Or if you want to go back further, I've read that the old British .303 cartridge was very bad, a 174 grain bullet with an initial velocity of around 2500 fps with an unstable bullet that tumbled on impact.

McChrystal sensed an opportunity to further his career and he grabbed it.