McChrystal says ‘serious action’ needed on gun control

[fatbuckRTO]

I heard a lot about how "badass" McChrystal was in Iraq, and how he really cared about getting the job done. Then I got to Bagram Air Field, Afghanistan, where under McChrystal's leadership no American serviceman was allowed leave the gate except for the "security" forces on their pre-determined, pre-scheduled, identical-every-day vehicle "patrols." No one could bring the fight to the enemy, unless they were pilots or Special Forces. Then McChrystal decided that the main obstacle to mission accomplishment in Afghanistan was the fast food restaurants at various bases, and closed them down (left the Starbucks-wannabe fatty coffee shop for the officers, though). That was his contribution before he got fired for idiocy. He took away the Burger King.

Now I'm supposed to take his thoughts on gun control as some sort of valid contribution to the national discussion? If cheeseburgers are outlawed, only outlaws will have cheeseburgers, General. And apparently, if they're under your command, even soldiers don't need to carry assault rifles. When would they ever use them?




McChrystal says ‘serious action’ needed on gun control


By Claudine Zap | The Lookout – 4 hrs ago


Speaking on MSNBC’s "Morning Joe" Tuesday, Retired Gen. Stanley McChrystal, the former commander of U.S. forces in Afghanistan, said some weapons should be carried only by soldiers, not civilians.

"I spent a career carrying typically either an M16, and later an M4 carbine," he said. "And an 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. And that's what our soldiers ought to carry."

The general added, "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’ve got to protect our children, we’ve got to protect our police, we've got to protect our population. And I think we have to take a very mature look at that."

The general, who had to resign his position as commander of the U.S. Forces in Afghanistan after a Rolling Stone magazine profile in 2010 that included unflattering comments about the Obama administration, is back in the public eye to promote his book, "My Share of the Task."

The former military man told the show, “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 would be to the NRA and the House Judiciary Committee, he said, “I think we have to look at legislation. The number of people in America killed by firearms is extraordinary compared to other nations. And I don’t think we’re a bloodthirsty culture, and so I think we need to look at everything we can do to safeguard our people.”




http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/lookout/...174328785.html