Politics

[PARA45]

This is a bit disturbing;​

Foreign Purchase of U.S. Ammo Maker Sparks National-Security Battle​

MSN

 

[HuntingGold]

Wow!

 

[John Wasmuth]

….

 

[Red Leg]

Pretty good review of the current situation in Ukraine. I have watched two or three of these interviews with this gentleman, and he as always provided a very realistic and informed assessment of the battlefield. I wonder if Putin even gets this sort of appraisal from his commanders. Historically despots rarely surround themselves with advisors who speak truth to power. Perhaps the shake-up in the MOD is a late effort to redress that situation.

 

[CoElkHunter]

I just read an article where Vista Outdoors wants to sell out to a Czech company and rightfully so, Brandon and many Republicans are opposed to and are trying to block the deal. Remember, Vista bought Remington's ammo manufacturing and currently owns Alliant powder, Federal and CCI. There are some indications that the Czech company in question has some nebulous ties to Putin and China. I guess they already have a 70% stake in PPU. A former high ranking Vista corporate officer and a Texas corporation attempted to buy Vista out but the Czech company came in with a slightly better offer. I guess it's a matter of National Security and the deal is trying to be blocked. Can you imagine a foreign company owning a major American powder, cartridge and primer manufacturing conglomerate? I can't. Vista seems to be just another greedy American company out for the almighty dollar and to hell with everything else including our National Security. Sad.

 

[freefall]

So Nikki Haley says she intends to vote for Trump. What say you Trump-haters?

 

[HuntingGold]

Yes she did say that, but you also left out that her message was something to the effect of Mr. Trump needs to reach out and bring her voters back into the fold after alienating them. He needs to patch things up.
As it stands, I voted for Haley yesterday in my states primary. Let's call it a protest vote. Since Haley and the others dropped out of the race, Republican voters have voted anywhere from 8 to nearly 20 percent for "other." That is significant. I hope Trump listens.

 

[Louis Toadvine]

So Nikki Haley says she intends to vote for Trump. What say you Trump-haters?

I wouldn't classify myself as a "hater" given that I've voted for the man twice at this point. But I was pulling for Haley or Desantis in the primary and was disappointed in how things turned out.

This is no surprise. Most politicians are survivors at any cost. Convictions, beliefs, and (unfortunately) morals all come second to being elected, to reelection, to the promise of the next office showing on the horizon. She's playing the hand that allows her to remain an electable politician regardless of who wins in November.

Or less cynically, she thinks the man is the best of the (admittedly dismal) options we have at this point. Also not really surprising.

 

[jpr9954]

I just read an article where Vista Outdoors wants to sell out to a Czech company and rightfully so, Brandon and many Republicans are opposed to and are trying to block the deal. Remember, Vista bought Remington's ammo manufacturing and currently owns Alliant powder, Federal and CCI. There are some indications that the Czech company in question has some nebulous ties to Putin and China. I guess they already have a 70% stake in PPU. A former high ranking Vista corporate officer and a Texas corporation attempted to buy Vista out but the Czech company came in with a slightly better offer. I guess it's a matter of National Security and the deal is trying to be blocked. Can you imagine a foreign company owning a major American powder, cartridge and primer manufacturing conglomerate? I can't. Vista seems to be just another greedy American company out for the almighty dollar and to hell with everything else including our National Security. Sad.

Having followed this from the beginning, I have to disagree with both Vance and the naysayers.

CSG already owns Fiocchi and a number of other ammo companies. The head of the US operations will remain Jason Vanderbrink who is an American.

CSG is also a major supplier of munitions to Nato and through them a supplier of artillery shells to Ukraine. The so-called nebulous ties to Putin were sales of trucks for the mining industry in the past. These were stopped unilaterally as of the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

The Czechs are stalwart members of Nato and have every reason in the world to hate the Russians. Can you say Prague 1968 and the Brezhnev Doctrine? CSG is a private company that wants to invest in what they see as a solid business.

Vista Outdoor wants to get out of the ammo business and concentrate on their sporting goods division. They already sold RCBS to Hodgden Powder. This sale works out for them and for the business involved because they will go to a holding company that understands the munitions market.

I see the former director Mark Gottfredson and his investment group as trying to stir up politicians using the national security gambit so they can buy the whole company cheap.

 

[CoElkHunter]

Having followed this from the beginning, I have to disagree with both Vance and the naysayers.

CSG already owns Fiocchi and a number of other ammo companies. The head of the US operations will remain Jason Vanderbrink who is an American.

CSG is also a major supplier of munitions to Nato and through them a supplier of artillery shells to Ukraine. The so-called nebulous ties to Putin were sales of trucks for the mining industry in the past. These were stopped unilaterally as of the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

The Czechs are stalwart members of Nato and have every reason in the world to hate the Russians. Can you say Prague 1968 and the Brezhnev Doctrine? CSG is a private company that wants to invest in what they see as a solid business.

Vista Outdoor wants to get out of the ammo business and concentrate on their sporting goods division. They already sold RCBS to Hodgden Powder. This sale works out for them and for the business involved because they will go to a holding company that understands the munitions market.

I see the former director Mark Gottfredson and his investment group as trying to stir up politicians using the national security gambit so they can buy the whole company cheap.

Ok then, I stand "partially" corrected. They are a still a FOREIGN company who COULD stop production of ammo and components if so desired given geopolitical events in the future. What happens if CSG in the future decides to sell out to China or some other dictatorship unfriendly to the US? These businesses will sell out to whomever gives them the highest price. We see it all the time. Vista Outdoors is a perfect example. They have NO morals and will sell to ANYBODY for the highest price. They've only owned Remington for a couple of years. Another example of leeches coming in to "save" a company (ies) only to sell them out to the highest bidder later. Think Sears and the hedge fund that ran it into the ground. Maybe we could have Norinco make our military small arms? In this case, to a foreign company who would have a huge footprint on the production of our military ammunition components. Turkey is a NATO member and under Erdogan they've moved further and further from the West. IMO, the breadth of CSG's acquisitions with Vista is a potential National Security risk.

 

[Mekaniks]

Maybe we should offer to bring Czechia in as the 51st State

 

[CoElkHunter]

Maybe we should offer to bring Czechia in as the 51st State

No, they would have to be 52nd. Puerto Rico would be the 51st so we could pay off all their billions in debt that they've mismanaged over the last many decades. But maybe we could pay off the student loans incurred by Czech students attending US colleges? Just a thought. LOL

 

[Saul]

Unlike some, I do not see the Biden administration as corrupt or malevolent; however, they seem hellbent on proving to me that they are craven and feckless.

 

[wesheltonj]

Unlike some, I do not see the Biden administration as corrupt or malevolent; however, they seem hellbent on proving to me that they are craven and feckless.

And you don’t see sending the #3 from the DOJ to go try a state court misdemeanor case. Or perhaps 2 meetings with White House and the special prosecutor in Atlanta, as corrupt or malevolent?

 

[Saul]

And you don’t see sending the #3 from the DOJ to go try a state court misdemeanor case. Or perhaps 2 meetings with White House and the special prosecutor in Atlanta, as corrupt or malevolent?

I am out of the loop on the first thing you mentioned. About the Fulton DA meeting with WH counsel, my assumption is is that because they were subpoenaing former WH officials, they wanted to see whether the WH would assert executive privilege.

 

[wesheltonj]

I am out of the loop on the first thing you mentioned. About the Fulton DA meeting with WH counsel, my assumption is is that because they were subpoenaing former WH officials, they wanted to see whether the WH would assert executive privilege.

That’s a phone call and a certified letter if invoking. Not two in person meetings. And by the way, if they had issued subpoenas, the White House council would have filed Motions to Quash. I just see that differently from you.

 

[jpr9954]

Ok then, I stand "partially" corrected. They are a still a FOREIGN company who COULD stop production of ammo and components if so desired given geopolitical events in the future. What happens if CSG in the future decides to sell out to China or some other dictatorship unfriendly to the US? These businesses will sell out to whomever gives them the highest price. We see it all the time. Vista Outdoors is a perfect example. They have NO morals and will sell to ANYBODY for the highest price. They've only owned Remington for a couple of years. Another example of leeches coming in to "save" a company (ies) only to sell them out to the highest bidder later. Think Sears and the hedge fund that ran it into the ground. Maybe we could have Norinco make our military small arms? In this case, to a foreign company who would have a huge footprint on the production of our military ammunition components. Turkey is a NATO member and under Erdogan they've moved further and further from the West. IMO, the breadth of CSG's acquisitions with Vista is a potential National Security risk.

CSG or Czechoslovak Group is owned by one person - Michal Strnad who is also the CEO. He looks to be accumulating assets rather than selling them. Earlier this year he concluded a deal to buy a majority stake in Perazzi shotguns.

 

[Saul]

That’s a phone call and a certified letter if invoking. Not two in person meetings. And by the way, if they had issued subpoenas, the White House council would have filed Motions to Quash. I just see that differently from you.

They did issue subpoenas, I assume Mark Meadows is the one who prosecutors were worried about executive privilege.

Again, we are both unaware of what was discussed and of course such a meeting is fertile for speculation.

 

[freefall]

Unlike some, I do not see the Biden administration as corrupt or malevolent; however, they seem hellbent on proving to me that they are craven and feckless.

That's because you're a nice person and determined to support the group you've been affiliated with since your early childhood.
Congrats on realizing they are craven and feckless! Now you just need to recognize corruption and malevolence!
You do realize that his last speech in Detroit Your President stated that Trump promised bloodshed if he lost the election, right? Says malevolence to me.

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

Pretty good review of the current situation in Ukraine. I have watched two or three of these interviews with this gentleman, and he as always provided a very realistic and informed assessment of the battlefield. I wonder if Putin even gets this sort of appraisal from his commanders. Historically despots rarely surround themselves with advisors who speak truth to power. Perhaps the shake-up in the MOD is a late effort to redress that situation.

Very good communicator, I feel more educated on the war listening to him. On a side note with absolutely no relevance to the subject, I was having flashbacks to time spent with family from Northern Ireland. His accent was so familiar. If you listen again closely to the interview you can hear the difference between the young man with a very typical English accent and Col Ingram's.

So I had to look it up, and yes he's originally from N. Ireland. I'm sure @spike.t is proud of me for being able to hear the difference ....