except where otherwise noted, WebSite contents © 1999,2000,2003 Joseph M. Lenard
Page creation or last revision: 03/25/2000

WEB-ARTICLES

For an index of available Politically related articles, visit:
Political commentary, issues, and more...

MEDIUM RARE by Jim Rarey
March 19, 2000

CHINA TO HELP DISARM AMERICAN CIVILIANS?

It is not just rhetoric when President Clinton describes China as our "strategic partner." Some thought the strategy was limited to swapping trade concessions for campaign cash from China and the multi-national corporations. Not so!

A piece from the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, published in the March 18^th Detroit News, revealed that the Defense Department is replacing the lead in its bullets with tungsten. The program is ballyhooed as a move to lessen the environmental dangers of lead contamination at the services’ shooting ranges (and presumably from battlefields of the future). Tungsten is much more expensive than lead and its melting point, which is ten times higher than lead, will require a significantly higher amount of energy to produce.

The article’s main focus was on the tradeoff between higher costs versus a cleaner environment. However it did mention (in passing) that "The United States has no tungsten reserves and the vast majority is purchased from (you guessed it) China."

While Clinton prattles about China as a strategic partner, that country’s top military leader has announced that war between China and the U.S. is inevitable. Plans are being made by China’s military for a protracted conflict two or three years in duration. To make our military dependent on China for ammunition may sound to some as pure insanity or even treason. However, this writer sees a more ominous threat in the switch from lead to tungsten.

According to the Times article, engineering has been perfected for the 5.56-millimeter ammunition for the M-16 rifle but more work is needed for the larger 7.62 mm and .50 caliber rounds. The tungsten bullets, of course, will only be available to the military and police (ours, and who knows what other countries).

When the conversion is complete, we will see a massive propaganda campaign against the environmental hazards of lead bullets leading to a ban on their production and use. While the public may still have their firearms, they are no good without ammunition. A merging of the gun control fanatics with the environmental wackos, although a small minority in the country, will be given disproportionate coverage by the kept media and Congress may not be able to withstand the barrage.

Even if Congress does not knuckle under, the threat of lawsuits from the federal, state and city governments (which was so successful with Smith & Wesson on trigger locks) could shut down the civilian ammunition industry, especially if they are offered lucrative government contracts to produce the tungsten rounds.

Yes, there is a strategic partnership between the U.S. government and China, and it may be used to disarm the American public.

Permission is granted to reproduce this article in its entirety.

The author is a free lance writer based in Romulus, Michigan. He is a former newspaper editor and investigative reporter, a retired customs administrator and accountant, and a student of history and the U.S. Constitution.

If you would like to receive Medium Rare articles directly, please contact us at msutton828@provide.net. Although not necessary, we would appreciate an indication of the state or country in which you are located to give us an idea as to where our message is being received.