Concealed Weapons

Jassim - you are too generous. ;)

tg - you're also not bitter. which probably explains why your posts are so much more coherent.

Here is the link continuing from my previous post..grim news ...but reminder that by poking fun at the Americans..it wont be easy to wash away your own actions...

British soldier killed in Iraq mortar attack LONDON, Aug 1 (AFP) - A British soldier was fatally wounded in a mortar attack on a multinational force base in southern Iraq early Tuesday, the same day that three British troops were killed on patrol in Afghanistan. The soldier was wounded in the pre-dawn strike on the base in the main southern city of Basra and died later in a military hospital, the Ministry of Defence said.

Since you are a poorly formed piece meant to heap scorn on others and you contradict yourself in every post I will take the positives...

That you are amazed by me all the time..and my English is good (I never thought so until you told me)..and I make childish contributions to various topics..and funny..you also get the sublime insults...Well better than attacking other people I would say..I never start it...Getting a life!! Phew..I guess you have no idea of how much you assume...it shows who needs to get a life...

Well put Jassim :)

Funny how all such places are the same even here, where it should be a more mature place as most of the ppl here should be grown-ups with careers n not just young kids looking for a fight or having the idea that acting macho will gain them respect :P.. Well, this is the NET life like it or not. We r all here to show what we lack in real life.

Leaving this aside n to go into the main subject of the need for allowing arms, n as so many had stories to tell about it then I have one too. When in the US, I had a nice friend who was small in size but loved to go with us to all dangerous places, like downtown after midnight. He never got in any fight but was in a continuous fear of the stereotype advertised on TV about the American cities. One day he decided to carry a knife, which looked exactly like the one used by Rambo in his First Blood movie. Strangely, after that the guy changed totally n he was in a fight like every time we went out. Our main job during that time was to stop those fights n we got our share of torn shirts n broses. So we decided to drop him out of the group. The moral of the story is, give ppl weapons n sure they will have a false sense of security that will lead to more violence.

Funny.

Sequential M Gearbox

GIASI,

I dont think you will get the satisfaction of your verbal vomits making any sense for me...If one goes through your blogs its obvious that the Indians have really given you pain too deep to forget..Its time you jumped from the High horse (where you think)..that you have posted yourself..where you can lecture everyone else out of your own misery...

When the Americans Invaded another country..There was a sidekick standing next to him..How could write a post without even talking about him..His name is TONY...Oh No!! He represents a Country...You know which one?? Self-Esteem my a$$...I think even lordships and honrary titles are for sale now....By the way do you feel for the British Soldiers who get killed in hate attacks in Basra??

Hello Ithaka,

I am curious, which part of Mumbai - India do you need to carry arms (is that SMG). I have never had to, kindly enlighten me so I can keep away from such areas.

What does SMG mean??

In all my time of travelling in India, US, Europe, Far East, etc. I have stayed out late till dawn and have never had the need to carry any protection other than common sense.

Looking forward to your response asap as I will be going on leave shortly.

Come come now GIASI, we are just jealous that we aren't from the US. I for one am very jealous of their costly healthcare, pollution, high crime rate, low test scores, poor education system, Amnesty International condemned prison system, torture of enemy soliders, pointless wars that they have become hopelessly bogged down in, inability to enter freely into many countries, terrorist targets, etc etc, I could go on and on about how jealous I am about the US.

But I just a superficial "intellectual"...suppose it's better to be a superfical intellectual than dumb as a bag of doorknobs.

What has the culture or social prospects have to do with anything? Youre spouting Bushspeak "they hate us because of our freedom" crap that he took you to war for. Whos media influenced now?

Go on... tell me why you invaded a soveriegn country and occupy it now years later? why are you continuously supplying bombs to israel to continue their onslaught of lebanese civilians? why are you against an immediate ceasefire in lebanon? why have you vetoed EVERY UN resolution that makes Israel look bad since the end of the second world war? why is the ONLY middle east country with WMDs and over 200 nuclear warheads israel? and why are you protecting them? thats why arabs hate the US

Arabs see your hypocritical foreign policy for what it is. A policy based on the furtherance of Zionist aims at the cost of arabs. Its a shame. As alot of posters here have said, I know many americans who see the real picture and i feel for their frustration. I also feel for the 2500+ young american soldiers who have died in iraq for a LIE and for the needs of Israel. Let Israel fight its own wars. Let Israel sacrifice its own children not americans.

Practor, I have been to your country many many times, I have probably been to more parts of your country than you have. My knowledge is most defintely not superficial. I have seen the abject poverty that effects most minorities in your country, I have seen the pro NRA signs next to the anti-abortion signs. I have met more Americans from more parts of the United States then most people(including many Americans)ever will.

My disgust with your country and a good portion of its people is well founded, I assure you.

There you go again. You never cease to amaze me. You write alot but dont actually say anything that makes any sense. Stop trying to be clever by using 10 words when one will suffice. Your amateurish philosophy and subliminal insults are childish at best.

Youre not the first indian i have come across who tries to use his apparent (to himself only) superiority in the use of english to cover his obvious lack of self esteem and insecurity issues.

To put it philosophically.... Grow up and get a life

hehehe... my brain has been taxed by a jealous, media-influenced "intellectual". too cute.

americans would do well to learn more about what's going on abroad... however, the same goes for westerners who rant their jealous, america-"hating" banter and flaunt their superficial knowledge about all things u.s. don't hate, just visit, enjoy the terrific culture, and maybe you'll learn a thing or 2 about why so many flock our borders in search of a better life.

thanks for keeping me amused...

;)

"what in the name of all thats holy are you on about TG?"

I know GIASI you dont understand it....but the way you instantly bristle into a response..I understand how it feels..and since your output is usually done "way too far" away from brains..Its obvious that you dont have the luxury of "lovin the sight of your words"..If you did you would know what it is...

I guess you rush for the lever...

Ithaka..by the way I am curious ..How did you manage to carry that SMG...and did u ever use it??/

I am going to go to Mumbai unarmed. Thank you.

Now now guys getting bit heated here

"you wanna go to mumbai unarmed, be my guest."

I think I was pretty clear.

That isn't what you said at all. You said I should have a weapon as a detterent, I'm saying a weapon, for me, is useless as a deterrent. And yes, if someone is determined to kill you than they will simply wait till you do not have the gun or knife on hand to do it. You have to beable to get to a weapon in order to use it. And than you have to know how to use it. Which most people do not. Carrying a weapon you don't know how to use is retarded.

And thats exactly thats what I said. SUIT YOURSELF. but your logic that if someone wants to kill you he will find a way to do it so there is no point in having a gun is retarted.

Ithaka LISTEN TO WHAT I AM SAYING. There is no point in my carrying a weapon as a detterent to crime because I am too small for anyone to be scared of me using any kind of weapon! And I would never try to deterre someone from robbing me because I would be more likely to piss them off than scare them off.

No I just thought you got your initials mixed up. TG/DG it can get confusing for some people. :)

Dohagirl - It doesnt matter if he wants to kill you or not, a weapon is a detterent to anyone who has any funny ideas, he will back off once he sees that you have the power to retaliate. Carrying a weapon to protect yourself doesnt mean that you will stab the person who was trying to mug you. It gives you enough time to get some distance between you and the attacker.

And I went to both pakistan and india last year and I always carried a small smg with me, karachi and mumbai are both rife with crime. Those cities are nothing like anywhere else in the world. Ive been to newyork, detroit, miami and all of them pale in comparission to karachi/mumbai in terms of dangerous activity. A weapon there is a necessity. But to each his own, you wanna go to mumbai unarmed, be my guest.

And like you said that you dont travel to the uae/saudia by road, well good for you, but many of us do. We know the kind of dangers that can arise during travel. A weapon is a necessity during travel just like water, food and gas.

oooh. sorry DG...am i talking too fast ;).. no... u were great... TG was just being TG.... lovin the sight of his own words

Are you calling me or TG Great GIASI? What are you talking about?

what in the name of all thats holy are you on about TG?

To late, I think it's been overtaxed. :D Hope your not being mean to me GIASI. ;P

The great DG has spoken. I cant add anymore. Well i could, but i wouldnt want to tax procto's brain.

This is to practor and the Americans in this forum. While I can't speak on everyone's behalf my personal dealings with Americans have always been amicable.

While it's a well-known fact that the bombs currently decimating my country-folk and homeland are American-made I always try to make the distinction between government and people, not just with the US but with all countries.

Americans by-and-large are friendly people. Many of them took me into their homes and made feel welcome and at ease when I was a stranger in a strange land. Nobody is saying Americans shouldn't be proud of their Americanism. Any criticism levelled should be directed at insularism and isolationism and this applies to all, Arabs, Europeans, Americans, Indians, etc.

I just wish Americans would take a greater interest in finding out what's happening in the rest of the world.

My view, anyway.

So if he doesn't want to kill you ithaka, why would you carry a weapon? Why would you kill someone who had no desire to actually do bodily harm. Also, as I said, what would be the point of little me carrying a knife, if I started waving it around they would probably laugh and attack me for fun. Also, I can not drive to UAE due to the restrictive rules of Saudi Arabia. Also, I would never stop at a truck stop at night.

I was in Mexico,with the highest crime rate against tourists and sexual assault in the world, and I never carried a weapon, because any weapon I had on me could be used against me, I chose to use common sense instead and not go to places that were potentially dangerous. The same when I was in Veitnam. I will be going to India in December and I have no intentions of carrying a weapon.

Practor at the end of the day different countries are involved all the time in different things it is the press who relay it as the USA are in there again and have done this and that when to be honest Britain is always there among other countries!

perhaps, e46m3, but,I was quoting a previous contributor to this thread and a long-time resident of this country. this person has lived in Qatar for an extensive period of time and is probably a good and credible source of information about the real and presumed ins-and-outs of our host country.

incidentally, e46, your well thought-out responses and quips throughout this site are enjoyable and well-worth reading. ;) an oasis of sorts. Tks.

Let me again say that I agree with the gun laws in qatar 100%. They are the reason I feel so secure in this country.

Now to Dohagirl, your statement that "if some wants to kill you he will find a way to do it no matter how many guns you have" is wrong on so many levels. First if someone mugs you he doesnt nessacrily wants to kill you. The incident that happenned with my father was that at night he stopped at a gas station when he was going from riyadh to taif and went in to the shop to get some water and food. On the way back some people came out of another room near by and instinctively my father knew something was on. he quickly went back to the car and pulled out a knife he kept but didnt show it to them , when they got too close and started touching his car and one tried to open the passenger side door, he showed them the knife and they backed off. Now by your logic they would have followed him all the way to taif and spiked his tea to get revenge. But no that doesnt happen. He had a knife and he used it as a tool. And another point that a weapon doesnt immediately mean a gun, it could be anything thats useful for intimidating an attacker.

And to someone else who said that these things do not happen here, one of the guys I spoke to about this has been going to the uae by road for almost 40 years. and he goes there many times a month. He told me that people have tried to rob him many times. These things might not be a concern for someone who goes there once a year and during the day but at night at the truck stops it can get dangerous.

Again carrying any sort of weapon inside qatar is highly stupid, there is no point and you can get into a lot of trouble, but on the highways to other countries at least keep a stick so you can survive any incident. I say that because Ive seen first hand that long trips can be very unpredictable.

First I would like to thank all who gave me hints on where to go in Dubai (K) I went to few of them n the kids loved it but mostly was following the wife while she was shopping :(.. So ok, even us Qataris r not the bosses in our houses :P

As for carrying arms in Qatar, whatever the size of it, then I would not recommend. If u get in a fight n have any kind of weapon then ur first thought will be to use it. And that will get u in more trouble than black eyes or broken rips, especially if u r a handsome white western in our jails :X

As for allowing weapons in general, then am totally against it. n no, we Qataris don't have weapons at home. Few do but those r authorized by the government. We just protect ourselves by nagging the assaulter to death :)..

Well done DohaGirl, go for the number 2000 !!!

She did promise! ;)

Congrats DG. Now Sandie is getting you a limo voucher, and we go clubbing Wednesday! Woo hoo!

Woohoo, my 1000th post comes after a post that says my views are like Noam Chomsky's. I love the man. And actually TG, he is very self deprecating about the US. I like anyone who actually questions the country they are in and the decisions made, especially the media of that country. My honours thesis was about how American media never wavers from its pro-government viewpoint until the majority of the country is in protest to the government. (I.E. Veitnam)

You see Americans are subjected to incredible amounts of patriotism since birth (you could say brainwashing), to the point that the majority believe that their country can do no wrong. We Canadians get a little bit of it because we share a lot of the same TV and books and such. When Americans actually realize that perhaps their country isn't perfect it usually results in complete hatred of the country, or, more commonly, scapegoating "I never voted for Bush, therefore I am not responsible for my countries faults." "I am a responsible gun owner, who likes my gun, therefore Columbine and the rising death rate due to guns has nothing to do with me, I am not involved."

I actually sympathize with Practor...Anti-Americanism in the middle east is a facade used by many...just to say...I am not one of them....and most of it is hypocritical convenience...(to avoid being a hate-target)

Both Europe and North America are Secure under the American Security Umbrella...and British Forces are operating in Iraq..and so were the Spanish and others (coalition of the willing or whatever..)

And the transporation of GITMO prisoners via European Airports...

Its easy to forget..but Yo!! Blair was too recent...

But...here is a rider..the Views of DG or others could be that of Naom Chomsky..or may be majority Americans...though not deriding themselves..but Bush is certainly the most lampooned man on earth...

One more, yalla!

In a police state there wouldn't be sites like this. You would not be able to enter the country, most likely, because of your citzenship, and you would not be allowed out of designated areas. (At least this is the way of things in North Korea).

Syria is a police state, Iran is a police state and so is North Korea. You have your geopolitics mixed up.

In a police state you wouldn't be able to post again to this thread after your last comment.

You obviously don't read much either practor, or else you'd know any written media is telling the same thing about your country. Or do you not look at the media at all? In that case it's no wonder you still love your country.

Also if you don't like the "police state" you are living in why don't you go back to your own police state...or are you afraid Homeland Security will pick you up for having lived in the Middle East?

oh, jeez, here we go again.

you are correct in one thing, however. i do not get my news, education, and information from television.

oh... and by the way, Qatarcat, you are also correct. how dare i make such a statement when i currently reside in a police state. ;)

good day.

I am sorry, but "i am a true believer in the right to bear arms... just 'cuz. (self-defense or otherwise)" must be the single most stupid thing I've heard on this forum. That, especially, coming from a person who says she was never victim of a crime.

I am sorry to be harsh, but I'm sick of the whining. I do judge Americans on an individual basis, and have many friends who are American, and they make the same jokes about the states that the rest of us do and have the same complaints. Also, many of us here have had our countries generalized (Qatari's, Saudi's, Canadians and Brits to name a few, by Americans no less) and you don't hear us complaining about it, instead we laugh it off.

Sorry if those generalizations about our countries were not as nasty as the ones about yours, but frankly,watch your own TV, look at your actions in the past few decades (and I do not mean you individually, I mean your country)and tell me the nasty things said about Americans aren't justified. Like it or not everyone is a representative of the country they were born into.

Oh Boo hoo hoo. :( Cry me a river.

No one else from any other country in the world has felt the need to ask about guns except an American.

No one else on this forum feels the need to carry guns (for self defence or otherwise) except Americans.

No one else feels that need to say their country is a great and wonderful superpower, except Americans.

No one else feels the need to write using y'all or totin or chuggin except Americans (and those who do not speak English as a first language).

No one else on this forum would care that you are hispanic and a woman, except an American.

Very few other countries in the world are out there trying to tell people how to live their lives and trying to force them to do so by bombing the crap out of them. (The ones that are, are as hated as you).

No one else in the world is constanly whining that people don't like them. Deal with it, have you ever witnessed the way most of you act overseas? If most of you weren't so damned obviously annoying, you wouldn't be picked on.

No one else but an American would say they believe in the right to bear arms just cuz, in fact most other civilized countries don't have that right, for damned good reason.

George W. Bush is your president, you voted him in, the world hates him, it is your fault, deal with it.

No one else in the world knows as little about the world as Americans.

So quit whining, I'm sure the Brits and Romans were the brunts of jokes in their time, it's the price of being a superpower. :P

when i read your question on this forum, i cringed... and waited for the first response-writer to throw the first anti-American stone at you instead of just giving a straight-forward answer to your straight-forward question. didn't have to wait long, of course :) see, there's antecedents here... just sift through the pages of this site and you'll find examples everywhere of unadulterated american-bashing at the slightest (if any) provocation.

been living in america all my life (born and raised most of my life in NY) - never been a victim of the crime(s) many members of this forum purport is/are so common in my country - oh, and *gasp* i'm a hispanic AND a woman... and yes, i am a true believer in the right to bear arms... just 'cuz. (self-defense or otherwise)

before i moved here, i had my general pre-conceived notions of the middle east in general (as most westerners do). as i see now, it goes both ways - or all ways. too bad it's mostly canadians and europeans mis-informing, and hurling careless, disrespectful insults for the most part. *tsk-tsk*

with respect to all the forum-contributors (and i truly do respect you, wherever you're from) - i'm shamelessly proud to be an american... in Doha, Qatar... lovin' the culture(s), and... i'd love to meet some of you someday.

Depends on who they know as in at the scence could be guilty straight away!!

Regarding problems involving locals, specifically RTA's.

In the event of a traffic accident and you are not to blame.

At the scene................you are not to blame

At the police station.......it's 50/50

At the court................it's your fault

I belive that in Saudi the logic for similar decisions is that if you weren't in their country the accident wouldn't have happened.

I've seen some impressively moustachioned women in Poland.

Thanks E46. :D Look at it this way, I'm saying I defintely don't have a mustache.

Didn't think about it that way but I'll give you the Donkey Kong bit in terms of popularity.

E46, there's a startling resembelence between me and Donkey Kong, so I will go with that one. And Beast, I would love the opportunity to meet Sandie. We actually share similar points of view, she's just not very good and expressing herself.

The only thing is and this is TRUE that if you are involved with any harm towards a Qatar person you will be blamed even if it is not you that is in the wrong say for instance a car accident! Walking around with a weapon is not going get you anywhere at all if anything it will get you into trouble!

Yes Ithaka, I can just see how littles old me at 5'6, 120 lbs could handle 5 truckers coming at me, even with a gun. And for your information this is the 13th country I have been in in the last 2 and a half years, many of them South American and Asian countries and the only time I've been attacked is by an American GI, and I'm just thankful he didn't have his gun.

So yes, self defence, for the most part, is bullshit,you can try but if someone in determined to hurt you than they will and can. I could have dozen guns, but I'm not going to take one to the bar which is where I got beat up.

Some people really have no idea. Youre not in the USA now. Violent crime is virtually unknown here thanks to the unavailabilty of firearms here and the extremely strict laws here. Here, the law does not favour the criminal, unlike some western countries.

For example, a burglar here knows that if i catch him attempting to rob me, i can beat him senseless, the police will do the same, he will get sent to an unairconditioned cell for a few years and then escorted to the airport to be deported.

He wont have some fancy pussy-livered lawyer get him off because his father beat him as a child and turn the case against me for using disproportionate force and sue me for damages.

sorry ithaka but that is SO not true!!!! We drive up to uae the whole time and never once have we experienced nor heard of anyone being attacked by truckers! not to mention what serious trouble you would be in if they catch you with a weapon at the borders!!

Sheesh, the man just talks about how he prefers to be armed in a dangerous situation and all of you are like, "he likes guns so hes bad"

doha girl -"selfdefence is bullshit" , well when you are in your car alone at some lonely gas station at night and 5 people are coming towards you, then you will understand what self defence is.

And if you say that you will never be in such a situation then good for you.

But for people who travel a lot to the neighbouring countries this scenario might become reality any time, and for them a weapon is a tool.

I met a qatari here who has to go to abu dhabi a lot to visit his father and he always carries a knife in his car after being robbed by some truckers once.

I know that carrying a weapon around doha is stupid, no ones gonna rob you at the corniche, and I agree with qatars gun law that noone is allowed to have a firearm.

But when you travel to the UAE or saudia etc by road a weapon is a must.

Actually I think it's prety cool. Let's see what DG has to say.

Which one is DG ???? hahahahah

I am sure you could have downloaded a better picture. You in trouble DG won;t be happy when she sees this

Beast666

LOL we shall see, Beast, we shall see

:^)

To say anyone could do better than me just because I like guns and shooting, and feel since the US gives me the right to own guns and carry them that it is okay for me to do so? Kind of harsh considering you don't even know me. LOL

Thats okay though, you can all think what you like, it doesn't hurt my feelings.

You might , may be mocha but DG and Sandie, not a chance.... It will be a fight they will remember in rydges for years to come.

Beast666

Ha, Beast, little do you know. I actually think we'll all get along :P

Women have nothing to fear from me, I have no malice in me towards women. I think you show me bitterness because secretly you desire me so much it hurts you. It's okay darlin', don't hide your true feelings anymore. Tell the world how much you really care about me. LOL

Cat - no need to fear the "cannon", none of my guns are in country at all, and I am a responsible shooter. I have trigger locks on my guns, ammo separated from the gun itself, guns locked up out of reach and I have the only keys.

A virtual toast

If sandie comes in contact with DG that will be very interesting..... what a fight that would be....

Gotta go now, bye y'all

LOL Sandie you can do WAY better than the cannon. And we don't mind the night prowler, as long as he doesn't get drunk and starts waving his illegal gun in the air. By the way, if you want to join us - that would be awesome :D

Darn! So I aint gonna get a chance ta pee in yer drink, dumbo.

Ya can get some of them screws that're loose replaced, ya know.

And yer offer to feel yer muscles, aint no thrill in contact with a wall ya know. But I hear the female baboons at the zoo are pretty lonesome and welcome company of their kind. That's as close to a female as yer gonna get baby.

Ladies, ya just advertised yer plans to the night prowler.

Ok, I am going, believe it or not I have other things to do. We will have to wait till tomorrow for me to hit the 1000 mark. Then it will be drinks all round. ;D

Sandie, I can't believe I'm going to say this but...you can do better than the cannon.

Nooooooooo Sandie don't go out with the cannon!!

I am on the phone though. Yeah I will go out with you, but I won't be drinking. I will be driving, so that would not be agood combo. Where and when do you want to go sweetie?

traitors :p

Yay! Ladies night!

Sorry mocha, next time, maybe :P :P

Where's that gun totin liquor chuggin King Kong now?

Ladies night at Rydges on Wednesday!!

I do, like a mochafrap.

I don't drink .....

Sandie,

Who were you inviting out drinking??

Hey guys, nice ta see ya. Except fer the loose cannon.

When I was 16 a couple of guys from the nighbouring town broke into their teachers house, thinking he was away on vacation, to steal his liquor (stupid obviously) anyway the teacher was home, took out his legal hand gun and fired blindly into the dark (not seeing these 14 year old boys) and killed one. Ya, self defence is great. Unfortunatly what this guy didn't know is that Canada doesn't have self defence laws and he is now serving time for manslaughter.

So ya wanna go drinkin with me?

Self defence works, I will die but I might take a few with me.

Beast666

Bobo come to Qatar as a Qatari. Trust the peole . Be friendly. Control yr attitude. Be peaceful.Respect others

Forget what happend in america. Just think, what u have to do here .

That will best help u .

Yeah, that's the way, turn on the charm baby.

Did it hurt when they ass-embled ya?

Self defence is bullshit in every sense of the word. It's something American media made up so Americans could sleep at night. If someone wants you dead, you are dead, reagardless of how many guns you have or how big your muscles are.

How are you sweetie? No I am not macho and tough at all, I just enjoy guns and shooting in general. If you want to feel my muscles, come on over. I can't wait to see you. :)

As for the story, when you come over to feel my muscles I will show you all the medical reports, police reports, and everything else you would like to see. I am waitng for you.... kisses and hugs.

So tell me somethin. Do ya bitch-slap women that piss ya off too big guy!

i never thought this day would come but i actually agree with sandie for once

I tend to agree with Sandie on this one. I don't buy this story either. And "Trained civilians" with guns stinks even more to me.

There are lots of problems with carrying concealed weapons. First of all, do you really want everyone who has passed a government exam carrying a weapon under their clothes. Just because someone has never commited an offence doesn't mean they aren't capable of doing so. Also having guns in the country means they are easier to get, not every gun seller has scruples either. Look at Columbine, those kids passed for gun licnense and K Mart sold them the bullets. Also there is no point to a handgun except to kill people. They are useless for hunting, and anything beyond "self defence" and self defence in the US is bullshit anyway, just because someone steps on your property or even smacks you across the face does not give you or anyone else the right to take their life.

geez you're such a macho guy with all that baloney about M-16s and 50 cal. Ooh yer so big n tough. Can I feel your muscles please. And the story about u bein attacked stinks worse than a skunk in a cowboy's shorts.

My sympathies to you and your comrades. I personally would not do that, but if you choose to then go for it. That is the beauty of having free will to choose what you want to do.

DG - I said responsible people who have been trained, not a vigilante state. Remember, the local government gets to set the standards, not just anyone walking in and buying a gun. Back in the staes I do have guns in my house (mostly for sport shooting), and when I go back to the states I will easily qualify for a concealed carry permit. I do not see any problems with that whatsoever.

moral of the story: next time someone bumps into your car take out your machine guns and show them who's the boss...................... (!!!)

You can't just go around shooting people as an answer to problems! That just causes chaos, even in war zones.

Yes, I have been in several war-zones unarmed except for the camera gear. In 1995 a crew of 4 of us went out in Bosnia and only 3 of us returned, 2 wounded. The 4th we left covered in a blanket in the middle of a dirt road.

That was our choice and we knew the risks. It doesn't change my beliefs that guns don't belong in homes or on people.

Actually I here that most people here, especially Qatari's have guns, cause they weren't illegal until a coiuple of years ago, and those that have them were allowed to keep them. Also, unfortunatly , we are too close to war zones. However, I don't live in fear of being shot or beaten here, but I do in the US.

Also if the cops can't handle it how about you give them more money, instead of arming untrained private citizens. You're creating a vigilante state not a civilized society.

Doha isn't, but E wants to send journalists into war zones unarmed. I personally wouldn't go into a war zone without something (prefer an M-16, because I am actually a marksman with it and the 50 caliber is a little to hard to handle most of the time unless you are sniping).

OK I am lost here, what war zone are we talking about??

I could have a gun in my hands in this country (illegally) in under 24 hours if I wanted one. As for the deaths in America from gun violence, most of those are caused by people illegally using guns (some imported from other countries illegally). The big theme here is bad guys have guns that they did not get the right way. Arm responsible citizens to protect themselves because most of the time the cops are outgunned, overtaxed, and not capable of controlling everyone. If someone abuses that privilege, hammer them in court and put them away for good.

In case you haven't noticed, Doha is not a war zone.

If you want to go into a war zone unarmed, feel free. I won't be joining you though. Do you honestly think the other side is going to say "Wait, hold up, he doesn't look like he has a gun so don't shoot him."? LOL

I agree with E46, complete bullshit. Criminals cannot get guns whenever they want if the gun control laws in a country are strict. Thats why the United States with its loose gun control laws has some of the highest rates of gun death in the world, almost triple those of countries with the same population but strict gun laws. Guns can turn any ordinary person into a vigilante

I severely doubt you personally know half the American military, so it might be kind of hard to make a statement saying they should not be allowed to carry a gun. LOL

Let's arm journalists in war-zones in case they come under fire. And let's hand guns to ambulance crews so they can defend themselves when they have to treat drunks in case they turn nasty. And how about if I take my car to the mechanic, get into an argument with him about his prices and he takes a swipe at me with a spanner. Shouldn't I be armed!

There are some bad apples (in any country). My best guess is it should be the local government deciding who should be allowed to carry a gun. If Qatar had a process in place, I would most definitely go through it. One way to look at it is a criminal can get a gun anytime they want without following any rules. If law abiding individuals were allowed to meet whatever standards the local government sets forth, why should they not be allowed to carry? In places where the private individual is armed, there is a possibility of crime rate reduction which makes everyone safer. Less people will commit an act of violence if an armed police officer is standing right next to them. If more people had the same qualifications and training, it could help deter crime.

But who should decide who the responsible individuals are? I don't think half the American military should have the right to carry a weapon in that case.

Not living in paranoia, just able to protect myself if the situation arises. I don't think everyone should carry a gun (that is a little bit of a large assumption), as I said it should be responsible individuals carrying a gun. Law enforcement officers carry a gun for a reason, military carry guns for a reason, and all get training on how and when to use them. Every now and then you have the bad apples, but that doesn't make all of us bad. As for my conscience, if someone were trying to kill me and I had to use lethal force to protect myself, I could live with that. I apologize on behalf of US military for what happened to you in korea, that is not cool at all and if I were there I would have stomped a mud hole in the guys ass and walked it dry. If there is one thing I can't stand it is a guy beating on a woman. I hope you don't judge the rest of us based on that one experience. Believe me when I say some of us are pretty decent individuals (no I am no longer military, but I am still associated with them in a certain way).

So your in favour of living in constant paranoia that something awful is going to happen to you? Therefore you believe that everyone should have guns, cause obviosuly the world is full of horrible people.

I got my beaten up by an American GI in Korea cause I turned him down for a drink, if people hadn't stopped him I don't doubt he would have beaten me near to death, however I do not wish every night that I carried a gun so I could have shot him. I would rather have the black eyes and spent the time in the hospital than have his death on my conscience.

However, given that there is a good possibility I could have died that night, I would rather take my chances having a weapon than not having one. I am not a wild eyed gun toting maniac like a lot of folks are (yes in the US as well), I have actually gotten top notch training on when and how to use a firearm safely and effectively. If it comes down to my life, or someone assaulting me for the sole reason that I am an American laying on the ground half dead, yes I would use whatever weapon I could get my hands on for the sole sake of self preservation. That is why I support mandatory background checks and training before anyone is allowed to carry a sidearm. I wish they did something like that here as well. In the event someone misuses it, punish them to the fullest extent the law allows. Weapons don't solve problems, but when it is your life on the line you look at it a little different.

This stuff happens in every country just like rape, no matter how "safe" the country, that is true, but g24la, would you really have been in a position to defend yourself when this happened? What if they had been carrying weapons in their car because they'd heard Americans carried them in theirs? I don't think carrying a weapon in any car is the answer. Sometimes shit happens, it's not nice what they did to you, but it could just as easily happended somewhere else, and a weapon is not the answer.

Its mostly yr attitude to those people or its yr way of talking to them that bring them in anger or agitation.

In the bitter circumstances if its a matter of a mob who doesn't like foreigners , Still it counts more how u speak out to them.

A smile and a calm and cool head can do more than a weapon.

To all the people that think this stuff does not happen yes this is not america but they are not used to sharing and like any country they do not like outsiders!!!!

I guess if everybody starts keeping a weapon with him/her , It will be more dangerous.

And when u r having a weapon , its difficult to control yrself from indulging into an argument.

Sp better leave the weapons mythology aside . Its a peacefull and safe place..... and .... let it remain peacefull....

But there is a lot more to it than that. You can choose to believe me or not, but I swear it is true and I have all the paperwork to prove it. There is still a huge mess surrounding everything that happened, but that is a whole different story that does not need to be published in the forum.

To be fair it happens

rather eccentric story..hmmm...curious..

I was hit by another vehicle that sent me off the road out into the desert. I couldn't walk, so I was laying on the ground and unfortunately the first group that found me did not much care for me after I told them not to move me and that I needed an English speaking ambulence (and they heard the way I talk). They yelled "American" and started stomping me. Overall, it was a bad experience.

Had you just ejected from an F-16?

There was a time when I needed a weapon out here. I was involved in an accident out here that messed me up pretty bad and while I was laying in the desert half dead waiting for someone to find me, the first group that did found out I was an American and started stomping and kicking me. If it wern't for the fact that a larger group of people started moving out towards the location I was in, I have no doubt in my mind that those guys would have continued to stomp and kick until I was done for. This is definitely a rare example, and had I not been American it probably would not have happened, but this place has its bad sides as well.

"having your wallet returned to you when you lose it(I had an apology from the 'finder'... excusing himself for looking into my personal data to find my name and telephone number so that it could be returned to me safely"

Same thing happened to me....

In the middle of all the surrounding wars... welcome to the 'peaceful' parts! And enjoy perhaps for the first time in your life, leaving your car door unlocked, and not stolen from; having your wallet returned to you when you lose it(I had an apology from the 'finder'... excusing himself for looking into my personal data to find my name and telephone number so that it could be returned to me safely) !!

And hopefully your baseball bat will be used to play the game with. After all, out here, that's all you'll need it for.

Welcome to Qatar Bobo.

Angel

By dagger I meant the small traditional knife that curls at the tip here. Anyways no need for further info here, I hear ya'z loud n clear - no weapons. I ain't looking to be deported at this point in my life. Hasta luego.

PMSL at "small daggers", what are you? an actor with the royal shakespeare company?

They might take his baseball bat to visit him in his cell...

Hey, for once I agree with Sandie. Except I don't think they would let him take the baseball bat into the cell.

Oh the sweet tones of sandie again!!!!!!

Dork. Take the baseball bat and maybe they'll entertain ya with it when yer in the cell.

i disagree with the condom analogy. I would rather have a condom AND need it.

Hey, I'm from the U.S. too -- and, heck, I grew up in a barrio -- but I don't feel the need to carry daggers and baseball bats around.

I don't think there is ever a reason to carry a concealed weapon, especially in a place where you don't know the laws.

The only time you should carry weapons with you in your car is when you are going to another country.

My dad had an incident way back in 93 when some fellas at some remote gas station in saudia tried to mug him. He pulled out a hunting knife from his car and they backed off. It is always wise to carry a weapon with you.

Its like a condom, rather have it and not use it than need it and not have it.

Locally there no point in carrying either.

Is it for your safety bobo?

Or is it for harassing others at any time and any place.

Well I guess Qatar is the safest place and no need of such things.

If he isn't I sincerely hope I never get in a car accident with him

:/

I actually hope he is joking.

Looks like Bobo leaves USA for the fist time.

Baseball bats or daggers? WTF??? Why on earth would you want to do that?

Doha is not the United States. Therefore there is no need to keep a weapon anywhere in your car or on your person. You're living in a civilized country now were people don't resort to violence over every petty little thing.

Qatar, like most gulf countries, does not tolerate public brawling. If i remember rightly, the law is like the UAE. If you are involved in a public brawl, you are taken into custody and the penalty is usually a fine and immediate deportation, regardless of who started.

So my advice is, dont even contemplate carrying anything remotely threatening in your car. If you, god forbid, use it against an unarmed assailant, youll be looking at a lengthy stint in prison plus deprtation.

Apart from nightclubs, pubs, i have not seen a street fight in the gulf in over 15 years.

Believe me Bobo, Qatar is no America, don’t worry about anything, the chances are that you would never be attacked in Qatar. If you are involved in valiant situation, it maybe only fist fight, you know like the old fashion way. So my advice to you is don’t mess around with this stuff. These laws that M3 mentioned apply to almost all countries around the world.

The laws governing weapons here are very simple. Only the law and order/securtiy services carry them. Period. Full stop.

The authorities will take a very dim view of things if they find daggers in your car.

You can carry a baseball bat if you like since that's classfied as sports equipment. Try to have a glove and ball too to keep up the charade. If by any chance you do use it then said authorities will take a very dim view of you too. And your next view after the holding cells and your embassy bailing you out could well be of Doha from the air at the end of the deportation process.