bio_LarryKeane

“This is not perceived as being furtherance of a domestic gun control agenda. It is trying to influence Russia’s aggressive stance toward Ukraine. No one is questioning imposition of sanctions.” – NSSF VP and general counsel Larry Keane quoted in Embargo prompts run on Russian-made guns in U.S. [via sfgate.com]

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51 COMMENTS

    • Bingo. Don’t expect the NSSF to ever push back over the Chinese import ban, either.

    • Exactly. How can there be ‘benefit of the doubt’ if we all know that the restriction on imports of those arms will never be lifted as long as the progs are in control of the WH.

    • Banks, too.

      Kind of a strange coincidence where just a couple of short years ago, there was talk of an import ban on Saigas because of a newer interpretation of “sporting purposes”.

      I’m not into conspiracy theories, but this just happens to be pretty convenient that the big ticket financial items have no sanctions while a 2%-er like KC is hit.

  3. Ah yes… “Russia’s aggressive stance” that includes sitting patiently while Ukraine lobs artillery into their territory and not just rolling armor into Kiev. The same Ukraine that has just had an elected president run out of office by an angry mob allied with Neo-Nazis… Gee… It’s a wonder why certain more ethnically Russian regions don’t want to be ruled by a government that allows open Nazis to sit in the Rada…

    • It’s only fair since the Russian Red-Browns are behind Putin. But actually the “them Ukies are neo-Nazis is a Russian propaganda line. The Jews leaving the Eastern Ukraine and the Crimea weren’t running to Russia out of fear of the Ukrainians, they were running away from the Russian to the Ukraine.

        • There are Russian aligned rebels have factions every bit as antagonistic to the Jews as some of the ultra-right Ukranians. There is no ‘good guy’ in this fight, as typically is the case in a civil war.

        • Wikipedia? Really? Funny how so many conversations boil down to Jewish victim hood, then the propaganda really starts flying.

        • @Paco

          Actually, it’s less about Jewish victimhood and more about the Nazis murdering millions of people in Ukraine regardless of religion. (Jews happened to be their favorite whipping boys, but more or less any resident of Ukraine was on a waiting list for tickets to Auschwitz.) The simple fact is that neo-Nazi BS is simply not tolerated in Russia. In Ukraine, however, apparently it can win you a seat in the national legislative body.

          http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2014/03/18/yes_there_are_bad_guys_in_the_ukrainian_government

          Now nobody is claiming that Putin is an angel, but after decades of abuse by the central Ukrainian government which turned Donbas from one of the most productive industrial regions in Europe to a third world hellhole and has repeatedly violated the will of the people of Crimea (starting back at the revocation of the Crimean constitution quite a bit back)… Don’t you think that the people in those regions have a right to decide if they want to be a part of a country that has abused them?

          The only basis Ukraine has for not recognizing a vote on secession is a ridiculous provision in their constitution that requires the entire country to vote on secession matters rather than the people who actually live in the region in question. That’s as silly as giving both parties veto power in a divorce. Basically, if a drunk beats his wife, he can still forbid her to divorce him.

        • @ Paco

          … You’re kidding, right? FP.com and Wikipedia are fronts for pro-Russian propaganda now? Really?

        • Wikipedia may be ok for pop culture info, but to actually reference it as historically accurate is not being intellectually honest.

    • Yes yeah for Czar Putin. KGB forever

      Kill millions of Ukranian surfs and send the rest to punishment Battalions and Siberia. Forceable repopulate with Russians. Is the area then Russian? Advance decades and these new “Ukranians” (or Estonians, Latvinans etc) Handout passports to these Kremlin lovers and you have a pack of new RUSSIANS that need saving from their neighbors by the Rodina. Insert Speznatz and organized crime. Send in Russian ADA to shoot down civilian airliners. Shake well.

      What are you going to boycott that Russia produces? They have obsolete and grade B military hardware, minerals and oil (fungible), hackers and corrupt communists. Diddly squat for manufactured goods you can ban. So ban their rifles. Not that much of a loss.

      • Wow… You need to get your history straight. The man who did everything you describe was named Joseph dze Jugashvili. (HINT: Not Russian) The Czar oppressed more or less everyone equally. (That’s why he got the boot.) No now you’re blaming Russians for the actions of a man who murdered as many of them as anybody else? Really?

        Oh… BTW… The Crimea was never part of Ukraine until the Soviets gave it to them. It originally belonged to the Crimean Khanate (a client state of the Ottoman empire) that then got conquered by the Russian Empire back in the 1700s. It was then settled as a major military bastion to ward off Ottoman adventures in the Black Sea. It was settled mostly by Russian Imperial military units and their families. It did not become part of “Ukraine” until after WWII.

        • It has been a part of the Ukraine for roughly 60 years and Ukraine has been independent since 1989. If they have the right to take it, why not invade Poland and Germany as well? It’s a land grab, pure and simple.

          And as a side not, it is ethnically Russian because the native Tartars were either murdered of deported by Stalin and the Russian Army.

        • Actually, the “native” Tatars were descendants of Mongolian invaders who were driven out by the formation of the Russian empire at the end of the Medieval period. Try again.

          You might also want to check the date for Ukrainian independence…

        • The coup that over threw a democratically elected government in Ukraine was at least backed if not orchestrated by the United States. Why should anyone be suprized by this who is paying attention to United States foreign policy. In the last year there has been a decided shift to the east and away from Europe. It is at least curious that the Ukraine business started up close on the heals of a huge oil and gas deal between China and Russia. I would suggest spending some time with OPED news. Yeah, I know, there are lefties posting there. It is also the place for some of the most complete coverage of what is happening in Ukraine.

        • Somewhat ridiculous to blame Stalin for this- the killings were a continuation of the original Bolshevik policy that Stalin managed to turn round with purges of Old Bolsheviks later in the 30s.

          The blame lies with Lazar Kaganovich.. who was also, as you say.. not a Russian.

        • @pwrserge
          No, they are a mix of Mongols and older Asiatic tribes (like the Cumans) that had lived in the area for around a Millennia. After 1000 years they are most certainly native. Regardless, they were removed by genocide and their land taken by Russian families. A similar act of ethnic cleansing was committed against the Chechens.

        • 1000 years? You’re making things up again bro. The Mongol invasions were in the 13th century. Russia threw down Tatar oppression in the 15th century. That’s barely 300 years…

        • I think you need to read what I wrote more carefully. Notice I mentioned tribes beyond the Mongols? The Cumans were there before them and the Khazars even earlier. All Turkic speaking people, not slavs. And regardless of the Moscovite overthrow of the Golden Horde the Tatars were still living there. Hence, they were quite native.

      • This isn’t good vs evil, evil vs evil or good vs good. It is the good old fashion game of nations that our Fearless Leader has declared passe. The question on the floor is whether a reconstitution of the Russian Empire is good or bad for US security intetests. I vote for bad.

        • I vote neutral. A friendly Russian Empire can definitely be a good thing. Right now, we’re the sole planetary superpower which leaves us cleaning up far more messes than we should really be involve with. A prosperous and friendly Russian Federation is an outstanding market for our products and a source of natural resources that both the US and the European Union need.

          Basically, Russia is rising. That’s not going to change. We can either piss them off for no benefit or we can make sure that this new power is a friendly one.

          For a bit of perspective, you only need to look back to the 18th century and the rise of the original Russian Empire to the world stage. Who exactly pulled Europe from under Napoleon’s boot?

        • A friendly and prosperous Russia is good for world stability. I am not so sure that a Russian Empire, prosperous is anything but destabilizing.

    • Russia used the political turmoil in Ukraine as an opportunity to invade and seize the Crimea, now they support pro-Russian rebels in the East of Ukraine by sending Russians to lead them, allowing them to hide weapons across the Russian border and supplying them with a fortune in small arms and surface to air missiles. Russia’s stance is not only aggressive, but that of an Imperial power.

      As for the Nazi line, that is a smear dreamed up by the Russian media to tar a very broad movement of Ukrainian Right and Left wing nationalists who simply want to maintain their borders against a nation that has conquered and brutalized Ukraine over and over again.

      • I’m pretty sure that even US sources admit that several major parties in the Ukrainian Rada have strong Nazi leanings. In fact, I’ve cited an article above directly on point.

        • Either way, these are small groups rather than representative of Euromaidan or more conservative Ukrainians. Otherwise, I’d question why so many Gays took part in the protests.

          On the other hand, Russia has the world’s largest Neo Nazi movement, many of whom are radical nationalists and supporters of Putin. There is also frequent anti-Gay and anti-immigrant violence perpetrated by Russian Neo Nazi’s. So tell me, does this make Russia a Nazi-friendly country? Or is it just another country with a small sub-sulture of racist idiots?

        • None that I know of, but Putin has made great friends with the heads of France’s Fascist National Front.
          How many Nazi’s are in the Ukrainian Parliament? Not far-Right radicals (Russia and Ukraine both have plenty) but real Nazi’s.

  4. “Pipeline” of guns? It was under a quarter million, that’s barely a water hose in this country. And what’s with this “unfounded” fear of gun control, are there not designs on a new AWB in motion as we speak? After watching them come back time and time again, like zombies that the constitution can not kill, I’m convinced my fears are very well founded, thank you.

  5. It’s exactly the opposite. It’s the administration exploiting the crisis to advance its domestic disarmament campaign. Meanwhile it wants to be seen as doing something against Russia, without actually doing anything meaningful or counterproductive.

    • No, they may perceive it as a short term side benefit but the market for guns is very competitive. So it becomes “I would prefer a Russian AK but I will get the AR in 300Blk instead” sort of thing.

    • Because amongst the chattering classes it’s cool to drink Russian vodka. Only bitter clingers would care about this embargo.

    • Forget Vodka… Oil and gas exports from Russia are some of the highest of any region in the world. Without Russian gas, most of Europe freezes in the winter. But I’m sure Obama’s desire to “do something” was sated by banning imports of “scary rifles” with a bonus for screwing over American gun owners. I was in the market for a Saiga 12 before this started, and now I’m going to have to live with an M1014.

      • HA too funny I was in the market for an AK or VEPR and most likely will be buying an AR pistol now.

        1014 is one hell of a fun shotgun to shoot, then again the only Saiga I ever got to shoot sure was too but I just dont know how I feel about shotguns and box mags.

  8. Not perceived my ass! I see it is exactly that, with a healthy helping of “Plausible Deniability.” Obozo sees this as a way to stick it to both the NRA and Putin, and the NRA can’t complain without looking like they support what Russia is doing there.

    Devious, Nasty, and Smart, so it was one of his minions that thought it up, rather than Obummer himself.

  9. Personally I’m not concerned, I don’t use Russian ammo anyway. I’m usually more concerned with hitting what I’m aiming at, and even if I just want to hear a bunch of rapid bangs I’d rather pay a little more and not have to clear every 10th round.

  10. I love how they have to mention Adam Lanza had one in his car yet it was never used.

    Also, politically I think **** Russia, so if we need to suffer a drought of Russian made AKs, so be it. We can get our Aks from former Com Bloc states anyway. I just hope we still can get ammo. Some other company or country will make their own Saigas an Vepers, just you wait.

    • Yeah, it’s called a catamount fury. It’s made in China and it is the textbook definition of a hot mess. But hey, it’s not like China gets much of our money….

  11. Perceived my a##. I don’t have a problem with buying non-Russian. I have a problem with Keane sounding like a tool for Odumbo. Yeah I clicked the link with the shameless link to Lanza. And Rusty-NSSF is NOT the NRA.

  12. Please dear lord… I have no allegiance to the NSSF. They DO NOT REPRESENT ME OR STAND TO DEFEND THE SECOND AMENDMENT. They are an industry organization. It is about protecting the interests of companies that are in the industry. Its like saying GM and Boeing will stick up for me as I travel around the world because they build transportation devices. It makes NO FREAKING SENSE.

    I am sick of the NSSF BS. The guys on the web, like like the TV show guys, who keep pushing their nonsense don’t have CITIZENS at best interest. Martin Luther King didn’t have a corporate sponsor.

  15. Sounds like the spokes person for the NSSF doesn’t realize that some actions can serve more than one purpose. Or in other words the ban on Russian imported arms isn’t the reason for that executive order. But it most certainly helps with the agenda.

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