I thought that this question from Paul needed to be up front and center.

Few of us realize just how much the former east bloc (newly NATO and EU member States) are being bombarded with widgets and gizmos that don't work, and offers of first-class-save-the-planet training visits that would bankrupt a small nation.

Fact is there is no requirement. Over the last 10 years, our members have been trained by ATF, FBI, US Army and Navy, and the UK's MET. 90% of those were free and included functional equipment.

Visits and conferences from Western Europe intentionally place potential (naive) clients with willing (hungry as hell) GWOT widget providers. The well-dressed man handing out CDs and fantastic color brochures has done his homework; reciting passages from history about terrorism, the Red Army and the host country.

I try to weight in as a western sounding board, but in order to convince the upper echelon, I need something they can chew on.

JC, Thanks a ton ! That’s exactly what I needed