re: #542 Shiplord Kirel

Freepers are up in arms (literally it would seem) over reports that the Department of Homeland Security has purchased something like 1.2 billion rounds of ammunition over the past year. They seem to think this is entirely unwarranted and unheard of, and could only be related to Obama’s plan to cancel the election or invalidate the results after the Romney landslide.
I haven’t even checked to see if the figure is accurate but it would not be unreasonable considering that DHS includes the Border Patrol, ICE, the Coast Guard (49,000 personnel and lots of automatic weapons), the Federal Protective Service (15,000+ armed personnel), TSA, and the National Law Enforcement Training Center. The orders apparently cover a five year period.

This is a top story at Alex Jones and Iran’s Press TV.

As I commented when it was the .40 ammo last time: a) compare it to the previous contracts; and b) it’s UP TO, not definite, over five years.

It’s a mutual promise. You, the bidder, offer to guarantee a certain number of bullets available on demand over the next five years. We, the government, guarantee to purchase at least x (1,000 bullets per year) and no more than you promised (no more than 70 million bullets per year per bidder) to have available.

Bottom line, it’s a molehill. But because it’s in certain people’s gardens and fits their neuroses it’s a mountain to them.