Belgian weapons...

[Negative]

Belgian weapons-factory FN received an order for 5,500 machine guns last week...
I knew we Belgians had a weapons-factory, but what I did not know was that we had the biggest one worldwide (bigger than Heckler and Koch, Colt,...)... and it kinda bothers me...

Here's the story:

Belgian FN receives an order for 5,500 machine guns... the FN factory is partially owned by the Belgian government, and the government decides to approve the order... The minister in charge doesn't want to reveal the destination of the weapons...

One week later, it turns out those weapons were ordered by the Nepal government....
According to human rights organisations, there's a civil war going on in Nepal. The European Union interdicts the sale of weapons to countries that are in a civil war. The Belgian minister: "OK... it ain't a model-democracy, but hey... the goverment is being attacked by 'guerillero's', so we have the right to support that government'.

Untill now, 4,700 people were killed in that war.

On the FN weapons: The machine gun in question. The same machine gun is used by the American army (known as the M249). FN's American division makes it, and the US exports it to countries such as Bolivia, Tunesia and Colombia (that's right, Colombia...).

[jethro]

But, yunno, at least they're not using them in your own country.

[VictorKaum]

Negative, yep FN (FN Herstal) is big and famous.
For instance in Africa the street word for a machine gun is a 'belgique'
FN also produces the P90 this weapon fires SS190 ammunition perforating 48 layers of kevlar body armor... complete insane.

[rcgreen]

FN also produces the P90 this weapon fires SS190 ammunition perforating 48 layers of kevlar body armor... complete insane.

Do they accept small orders from private individuals?
We have a problem around here of deer damaging
our fruit trees.

[allenb1963]

Dang, rc....you gonna get the whole herd with just one shot or what?

[VictorKaum]

hmm... Belgian embassy guards have the P90 and Five-Seven hand version.
You want to take out 48 deers with one shot?

The main debate here is economics vs ethics
and perhaps also a language question (FN = "Fabrique Nationale")

[Leviatan]

Well economics VS ethics is becoming a big issue now.
In Holland same **** is happening because the ABN Amro banc has investments in cluster bombs.
I guess now everything is all about the money, the world has no ethics

[KissCool]

I know that France has some problems to sell all it helicopters.
So...Rcgreen, if you want, you could regulate definitively your deers problems and relaunch our war industries!!!!!!!

[allenb1963]

Looks like a debate that nobody can win here folks....If the Belgians decline to accept the order, then there no doubt will be someone else there to fill it. I'd say the odds are pretty good that China probably has 5000 AK-47's they could ship out today if needed. Personally, I'd rather see Belgium get the economic benefit. No matter where you stand on guns or gun control, the fact of the matter is that guns don't kill people....people kill people. If they can't do it with a gun, they'll just find something else to use. If you outlaw the guns, then only outlaws will have guns, so thats not an answer either. Guess thats the way it goes in a world where dollars outweigh morals, huh?

[cwk9]

Arms’ dealing is industrial country’s dirty little secrets. The U.S being the master of mixing weapon sales and foreign policy. What happens is there’s a conflict of some kind some were in the world. The U.S picks the side they want to win and either sells the weapons or in some cases gives them away. If the side they back wins they owe the U.S a big favor and the U.S gains some control over who ever rules, if the side they back loses its no big deal because they racked in a bunch of cash selling weapons.

The question I find my self asking is if you give a weapon to some one knowing that they are going use it to kill someone how are you better then the people who give money to terrorist. In the end your promoting human suffering witch we all know is wrong. And no its no ok if you say "Some one else will sell them weapons so it might as well be us."

just my $0.02