GOP votes for suspected terrorists to buy guns, explosives
This story is rather incredible, but its not without
precedent. Republicans in the US House Appropriations Committee
yesterday voted down an amendment that would have permitted the
Justice Department to block the sale of guns and explosives to
suspected terrorists on the terror watch list.
If we stop terrorists from buying explosives, then the terrorists
win.
You see, Republicans say they dont trust the terror watch
list, and neither do their masters at the NRA. So rather than figure
out how to improve the terror watch list, Republicans figure its
better to just arm the terrorists.
Oh but it gets worse, Roll Call reports that Republicans also
opposed giving local police access to the ATF gun data. What did
Republicans support? An amendment to block the ATF from continuing
to require the reporting of purchases of multiple firearms in border
states.
I hate to go all George Bush, but is the GOP, and the gun lobby,
now in the pocket of Al Qaeda?
Think thats hyperbole, heres an Al Qaeda operative talking
about the importance of taking advantage of Americas weak gun
laws. Heres Al Qaeda spokesman Adam Gadahn in 2011:
America is absolutely awash with easily obtainable firearms.
You can go down to a gun show at a local convention center and come
away with a fully automatic assault rifle, without a background
check, most likely without having to show an identification card. So
what are you waiting for?
How big a problem is it having suspected terrorist being able to
buy guns and explosives? The GAO reports (pdf file):
From February 2004 through February 2010, FBI data show that
individuals on the terrorist watchlist were involved in firearm or
explosives background checks 1,228 times; 1,119 (about 91 percent) of
these transactions were allowed to proceed because no prohibiting
information was foundsuch as felony convictions, illegal immigrant
status, or other disqualifying factorsand 109 of the transactions
were denied.
This isnt a recent problem. Gun enthusiasts in Congress
wouldnt let the FBI check the gun purchases of terrorists
immediately following September 11, lest we impinge on the Second
Amendment rights of Mohammad Atta best friend. Heres a quote from
the NYT on December 6, 2001 only three months after September 11:
The Justice Department has refused to let the F.B.I. check its
records to determine whether any of the 1,200 people detained after
the Sept. 11 attacks had bought guns, F.B.I. and Justice Department
officials say.
The department made the decision in October after the F.B.I.
asked to examine the records it maintains on background checks to see
if any detainees had purchased guns in the United States.
So we shouldnt be surprised that House Republicans are voting
in favor of arming terrorists. Theyve been doing it for years.
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