Word: ak
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...Bruce van Voorst had ever seen was a collection of grimy peasant tents spread out on a dusty knoll outside the town of Mahabad, in the Kurdish mountains of western Iran. There, a clientele of mercenaries and international agents milled about, examining Israeli-made UZI automatics, Chinese and Soviet AK-47s, boxes of grenades, pre-World War II Czech-made Brno rifles and spanking new U.S. Colt .45 automatics. "For the serious customer," says Van Voorst, "a salesman would casually discharge a few rounds into a nearby hillside...
...cover story was researched by Betty Satterwhite Sutter, who uses non-lethal ballpoint pens, but has worked on so many armament stories during the past five years that she admits, "My dreams are invaded by visions of AK-47 rifles and rocket launchers." Associate Editor Walter Isaacson, who wrote the cover, concluded after assessing the thousands of words filed by TIME correspondents: "The arms trade has created a global powder...
...scene was shocking, but it was an aptly ironic image of the times. A winner of the Nobel Peace Prize shot by soldiers?his own?wielding Soviet AK-47s (market price: $750), who had jumped from a Soviet Zil truck (price: $18,000) that was towing a North Korean antitank gun ($35,000). In the background American-made M60 battle tanks ($2 million each) rumbled on in the parade of Egyptian military might, while six French Mirage jet fighters ($2.5 million) flew overhead in tight formation...
Less complex Soviet weapons, such as rifles and machine guns, tend to be easily produced and highly reliable. The AK-47 Kalashnikov is the most esteemed and bestselling assault rifle in the world today, partly because it uses standardized ammunition available almost anywhere. The U.S. Army's M-16 is far less attractive on international arms markets; it has never lived down a much deserved reputation, earned in Viet Nam, for jamming frequently...
Finally, we could realize fully the horror of the AK-47 and recognize as well the horror of oppression. And, when the gut-turning indignity of slavery makes living worthless, we would fight. Frederick Forsyth took this last premise, twisted it slightly, and turned it into a novel; now John Irvin has turned the book into a near-flawless movie...