Notice: This is the official website of the All Empires History Community (Reg. 10 Feb 2002)

  FAQ FAQ  Forum Search   Register Register  Login Login

Biggest Illegal Arms Market on Planet
 Post Reply Post Reply Page  <12
Author
  Share Topic Share Topic  Topic Search Topic Search  Topic Options Topic Options
Omar al Hashim View Drop Down
King
King

Suspended

Joined: 05-Jan-2006
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 5697 		  Quote Omar al Hashim Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: Biggest Illegal Arms Market on Planet
    Posted: 15-Apr-2007 at 21:44
Originally posted by Rajputana

I think the US has more than efficient range in the FATA area with its weapons technology and 'softening' the area up before the army goes in.  Sadly though the innocent people along with the Taliban supporters have to pay the price as well.

There are two reasons why the US doesn't go in. The first and most important reason in my mind is that Musharaff won't let them, and the US is smart enough not to pick on a country that is probably stronger than it, highly anti-american, and currently aiding american interests.

The second reason is that the Tribals are too strong for the Americans too, the Soviet Union lost how many men trying to pacify the tribals in Afghanistan? How many casulties are the americans willing to take? The Waziris already declared war on the Americans when Qansi was kidnapped.
Back to Top
MarcoPolo View Drop Down
Pretorian
Pretorian
Avatar

Joined: 05-Jul-2007
Location: Planet Earth
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 190 		  Quote MarcoPolo Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29-Jul-2007 at 15:47

I can offer a little insight into the Darra Arms Bazaar located in the Khyber Agency of Pakistan.  It is being run by the traditional guardians of the Khyber pass for some 2000 years by a tribe known as the Afridi's with the Adamkhel tribe being the more prominent branch.  While there is no officially recognized date for when it was first established, the market is believed to have been existent for some 200 years with the production of Turkish Jazeera's at the turn of the 18th century.  It is the presence of these locally skilled tribes and their ability to adopt and mass produce new and old arms that many believe made it possible to stop the British advance into Afghanistan during the height of the 'Great Game'.  In one battle, an entire army of British officers and their Indian troops  numbering in excess of 40,000 troops was wiped out as they passed through the Khyber Pass by a much smaller number of Afridi tribesmen but who possed great markmanship skills, bravery and more importantly, held strategic positions along narrow pass, only one survivor was left to tell the tale and horrow of that battle , a Dr. Brydon. 

 Pakistan merely inherited the market when the tribes of Khyber agency opted to join Pakistan while being assured of being able to maintain and uphold their local customs and tribal laws in accordance with local Pashtun traditions which guarantees the right of an individual to bare arms and defend himself according to local laws.  The traditional gun makers have passed down the art from generation to generation..Grandfather, to son to grandson etc... and have established quite a reputation for the skills and accuracy in duplicating often complex modern designs.  The area flourished during the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan with various resistance groups restocking the munitions and arms from the area.  In the last couple of decades, several prominent gun maker families where hired directly by the Pakistani Government and given automatic promotion to grade 16(I might be mistaken on the exact grade, but I recall 16th grade for some reason) and now work for Pakistan Ordinance Factories in Wah Pakistan where they have added their traditional skills and experties to Pakistan's indigenous arms industry.  The government has been trying to find a loop hole in order to bridge the gap between allowing the Afridi tribes to continue their age old and lucrative tradition of gun making while at the same time preventing illicit use of the arms by criminals and other unsavouray individuals which as expected is a rather hard task in itself.
 
The area is an asset for Pakistan and a part of the heritage of this exotic region which needs to be preserved but at the same time, we all understand that its legacy cannot be tarnished by individuals who seek to use the area as a scapegoat for arming militants and criminals.
 
The Darra Bazaar is also a big tourist attraction for Pakistani's and Foreign tourist alike who can there, tryout a few of their favourite weopons and sample some of the fine local cuisine over some sweet green tea and enjoy the world reknowned hospitality of the Afridi tribes.  I welcome all of you, if you get the chance to come and visit.  It would be my pleasure
:))


Edited by MarcoPolo - 29-Jul-2007 at 15:48
Back to Top
 Post Reply Post Reply Page  <12

Forum Jump Forum Permissions View Drop Down

Bulletin Board Software by Web Wiz Forums® version 9.56a [Free Express Edition]
Copyright ©2001-2009 Web Wiz

This page was generated in 0.109 seconds.