From: Mika Suoranta Tkkk <MSUORANTA@finabo.abo.fi>
Subject: Re: Use of small arms stored in homes
Organization: Turku School of Economics, Finland
Date: Mon, 28 Dec 1992 17:29:55 GMT


From Mika Suoranta Tkkk <MSUORANTA@finabo.abo.fi>

In <Bzs8Jw.Kzv@law7.DaytonOH.NCR.COM> Urban writes:

>  
>  From Urban F <urf@ki.icl.se>
>  
>  The Home Guard, whose very reason for existance is their short 
>  reaction times, could not function if they didn't keep their 
>  equipment at home.
>  
>  Most soldiers probably defend their country best by quickly 
>  going to their places of duty. Thusly an attacker has a strong 
>  interest in keeping them from doing so, or at least delaying 
>  them. Small sabotage units will not engage trains in firefights, 
>  regardless if those aboard are armed or not, rather they'd blow 
>  up bridges etc. Having rifles with you on the train does not keep 
>  the bridge from beeing blown up: The bridge is better off beeing 
>  protected by the local Home Guard units.

	Assuming the Home Guard gets there in time. Sabotage
	could start a few days before hostilities.

	Good point to bring up the subject of sabotage, as it is
	probably the number one issue and most likely threat, even
	if there would be no all-out attack.
  
>  I can think of only a few situations where it might help you 
>  reaching your unit if you're already armed, but I acknowledge 
>  there are some circumstances where it might be useful.

	Key personnel would need something for self defence as
	they would certainly be in some sort of a hit list.

	Some years ago there were rumors about Swedish Air Force
	pilots being "tailed" by East Europeans. And it is a public
	"secret" that most reserve officers are paid a "visit" by the
	KGB or whater within a year or two after their service, just
	to make sure it is known where they live. In my unit every one
	of us has had some strange foreigner coming to their front door
	trying to sell something... and not bothering to go to the
	house next door as well.
  
>  When you reach your unit, some time might be saved by not having 
>  to go through the process of issuing personal equipment, but if 
>  this time is significant compared to the travel time, I cannot 
>  say.

	Assuming there are trained personnel present it takes less
	than half an hour to turn a busload of reservists to soldiers
	packed up and ready to go. As far as issuing equipment is
	conserned...

>  If some soldiers cannot reach their units, it is better if they 
>  have at least rifles than nothing. They are at least trained 
>  soldiers, and can augment other units, if perhaps not in their 
>  specialities.

	Especially if they have some means of communication. Ham
	radio gear, cellular phone etc.
  
>  One aspect that speaks against storing equipment at home is that 
>  if you don't have it inspected often, you can't be certain that 
>  everyone will care for it well.
>  
>  As for light weapons in "civilian" hands; No matter how good a 
>  shot you are, acting singly, without previous military training, 
>  you have a very small chance of doing something of military 
>  significance.

	And you would just give the occupation forces an excuse
	to mistreat the population. Better hit had when you can and
	not just tease them....
  
>  Only way these "civilian" weapons might be put to good use is by 
>  a resistance organization led and trained by proffessionals, 
>  where they at least have to be augmented by heavy demolition 
>  equipment. (Unless you don't specialize in just killing key 
>  personell.)
>         
>  (Why "civilian"? Well, as soon as you use them against the enemy, 
>  you and your weapon becomes "military", provided you do so "under 
>  responsible leadership", I think the term is. You DON'T have to 
>  be dressed in uniform, neither does those in charge of the 
>  "leadership".)

	And you must carry your weapon openly, unless you are in
	uniform.

>  -- 
>   Urban Fredriksson  urf@icl.se  
>  

			Mika





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 Mika Suoranta, Leirikatu 11, SF-20360 Turku, Finland,  tel. +358-21-382637
 Graduate Student, Turku School of Economics, Ham Radio OH1NZQ CEPT-Class 1
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