Think They May Be On To Something?

"Iraqis have begun barricading themselves in their homes and forming neighborhood militias in an effort to fend off relentless suicide attacks, residents in the capital said on Monday...

"'The plans of the interior and defense ministries to impose security in Iraq have failed,' Khudair al-Khuzai told parliament during a heated session following the latest blast. 'We need to bring back popular militias,' he said...

"In the Sadiya district in the south of the capital, residents have introduced a neighborhood watch program which involves men armed with pistols and AK-47s walking the streets from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. on alert for attackers..."

Militias providing security for a free state--what a novel idea! Where have I heard that before...?

Parker Update

Good analysis, as usual, from Triggerfinger.

Armed Unit to Crack Down on Fashion

"EDINBURGH'S first dedicated 24-hour armed response unit is set to hit the streets as new figures reveal another huge rise in gun-related crime.

"A crack unit of 25 specialist officers and three brand-new armed response vehicles will work in shifts from today providing round-the-clock response to armed incidents."

As it turns out, "gun crime" isn't particularly up, but "What we are experiencing is the culture of the fashion brigade to go out with an air weapon, an imitation gun or a BB weapon tucked in their trousers."

Sounds like a perfectly good use of resources to me.

I'd make a crack about the heirs of William Wallace being pathetic subjects of the Crown, but we're the heirs of the Sons of Liberty and we demand the same treatment in much of the Republic.

Serves Him Right

A man turns in a rare Japanese rifle worth $5,000 to a police "buyback" program, and now they won't give it back.

Hope he enjoys the voucher.

What do we expect? It's West "Hanging Chad" Palm Beach.

UPDATE:

They gave it back. Plus they let him keep the gift card.

I guess the media attention and his vet status made them decide this would be the best PR move. Funny how they can make exceptions to the "law" whenever they want? But we can't?

Permission Denied, Soldier!

"Uncle Sam trusts David Bardfield to carry a firearm, but the town of Brookline doesn't seem to have the same faith in the Army specialist.

"According to Bardfield, 28, Brookline police last month denied him a gun license because his name appeared in a police incident report when he was a teenager - even though he was not arrested at the time."

Not arrested, not charged, not tried and not convicted. Plus he's a member of the armed forces.

Yep--sounds like the type of person we don't want to let have a gun.

This, of course, is the inevitable result of licensing a right.

It's also a good real-world example to throw back in the face of anti-gun liars who claim they only want "reasonable, common-sense gun control," and that anyone who objects to licensing and registration must have something to hide.