U.S. buys helicopters for Afghanistan from Russian firm.

[DanISSELisdaman]

http://www.capitalisminstitute.org/obama-russia-afghanistan/

[suncat05]

This is an illegal transaction. This kind of business has to go through the Congress first. Not only that, but why do you want to give money to 1)the Russians, and 2)to an Afghan military that has demonstrated little desire and even less aptitude to take care of their own personal safety as a nation-state.

[KeithKSR]

Never supply weapons to those who could use them on you, and never buy weapons from those who do not want you to succeed.

[CitizenBBN]

I've been thinking about this, and I can see a positive angle. If we're going to help arm the Afghan military, it may behoove us to not give them US technology. We could maybe give them some stripped down stuff, Cobras and Hueys, but I wonder if we're facing a situation where what we have available may be stuff we don't really want them having. Still not real sure why Russian stuff other than maybe durability in that environment. Helicopters typically hate dust and sand. Russian stuff in general is built to wider specs which makes it run better in bad conditions and is easier to maintain for less skilled technicians.

I'd have to know the details of what they're sending the Afghans. I don't know if we have anything left from the Vietnam era that would be viable. We sure don't want to give them Apaches.

Were I to be arming them with small arms I'd give them AKs and SKSs, except of course that makes them far more independent from us. Still, if you are trying to help them at all and not just throw them to the wolves you have to give them something they can at least count on in a fight. We do want their military to succeed versus collapse. We just don't want to arm them with stuff that makes them a threat to us. I can see AKs and Russian heavy gear being a possible choice to meet those goals.

[UKHistory]

That makes the most sense to me. We don't want to sell the best stuff to less than the best allies.


I've been thinking about this, and I can see a positive angle. If we're going to help arm the Afghan military, it may behoove us to not give them US technology. We could maybe give them some stripped down stuff, Cobras and Hueys, but I wonder if we're facing a situation where what we have available may be stuff we don't really want them having. I'd have to know the details of what they're sending the Afghans. I don't know if we have anything left from the Vietnam era that would be viable. We sure don't want to give them Apaches.

Were I to be arming them with small arms I'd give them AKs and SKSs, except of course that makes them far more independent from us. Still, if you are trying to help them at all and not just throw them to the wolves you have to give them something they can at least count on in a fight. We do want their military to succeed versus collapse. We just don't want to arm them with stuff that makes them a threat to us. I can see AKs and Russian heavy gear being a possible choice to meet those goals.

[CitizenBBN]

It's just a swag History, but it makes sense. Russian/Soviet gear was designed from the ground up to be maintained by countries with limited technical expertise and poorly trained soldiers who may not maintain weapons with discipline. I'd rather it be our spare parts and ammo on which they were dependent, but I can see the logic of using Soviet gear. It was tailor made for the situation in Afghanistan. It's what I would spec if they called me for advice independent of US political considerations. I'll admit though I have a preference for the Soviet gear in a SHTF situation.

[Catmandrew]

Ur spot on on the AK's being reliable in those conditions. They def aren't as accurate as our stuff, but they are made for the sand and grit. Loose tolerances in the fitting of parts makes em sloppy, but dirt-friendly. I saw a friend (drunk and making a point, lol) literally toss one in a muddy ditch once, leave it submerged for 2-3 hrs, drag it out, slam in down to "clear" it , then racked and fired 15 thru it like it was a well oiled machine. Friggin bomb proof. An AR wouldn't have fired more than once, if that.