[R. Scott]

Instead they have originated in weapons plants controlled by Eastern European states, each of which was a partner of Moscow's in Soviet days.

And licensed by the Soviet Union to produce the rifle.

Congressman have asked why American forces did not save money by reissuing to friendly forces the thousands of Kalashnikov rifles confiscated in both wars.
(Last spring, journalists from The New York Times watched United States marines collect tens of thousands of mint-condition Kalashnikovs in a cache in a hospital in Tikrit. The weapons were still in their original packing crates.)

Congressmen are asking a very good question. I wonder who’s making the middleman money from the new purchases.

Re - the caption, “Visitors hold an AK-47 rifle …” Shouldn’t it read “AK 74”?

[risk]

The Department of Homeland defense could make use of those!