Feinstein's Assault Weapons Ban

In the wake of the Newtown massacre the US media in particular seems to have become fixated on the Bushmaster/AR-15 rifle that was one of three firearms used in the attack. Senator Dianne Feinstein in particular has promised to introduce a bill banning this type of weapon into both houses of Congress on January 8th 2013 (8/1/13).

The only problem is that this type of ban would have done very little to prevent the events at Sandy Hook elementary school where all the killings were carried out at close range within the confined space of a building. In those circumstances the long range accuracy of the weapon used is much less of an issue then the shooters ability to quickly select new targets and sweep through doorways and stairwells so generally the shorter the weapon the more effective the weapon. The only reason that SWAT and military assault teams use weapons like the AR-15 or more commonly the MP-5 is because they are fully automatic and therefore provide a very high rate of fire. The Bushmaster used at Newtown along all other similar type weapons on the civilian market was not fully automatic and therefore does not offer that high rate of fire. In fact members of some of the better trained assault teams are taught to use their main AR-15 type weapon when clearing open areas like courtyards before switching to their sidearm to clear confined spaces like rooms. So while I don't really want to start writing a how to guide for carrying out more effective school massacres Lanza would have probably been better off leaving the AR-15 at home and just using the handguns. There is also evidence for China's true epidemic (4 a week at one point) of mass killings that if the person planning the attack doubts the killing power of the weapon they intend to use they will simply switch from targeting places like shopping malls which are filled with adults to attacking softer targets such as schools and nurseries.

The reason why the Senator for California and the Chair of the Intelligence Select Committee is pushing for discussion about an assault weapon ban is so it can be used as a metaphor for the Chris Brown/Rihanna/me thing. Outside of the US the 'assault weapon' is supposed to be Chris Brown's tour which the South Africans have compared to a failed fascist bomb plot to kill the ANC leadership. Within the US the 'assault weapon' is my quite clear warning that any attempt to use Brown or more specifically his relationship with Rihanna as a diplomatic tool is something I will use to do damage to their handlers. The fact that the US is using a massacre as a way to describe it's performance at the COP18/CMP8 demonstrates that I most certainly have the capabilities to do this.

However that said if I really wanted to damage the US over the matter I would be pushing for it to be discussed at the highest levels - say by introducing a bill banning assault weapons - to Congress when Congress really should be focusing on the fiscal cliff.

17:00 on 18/12/12.