http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireS...al-pakistan-21428390


Utah Gun Maker Turns Down $15M Deal With Pakistan

WEST VALLEY CITY, Utah January 6, 2014 (AP)

Associated Press

A Utah-based gun manufacturer has turned down a $15 million deal to supply Pakistan with precision rifles, citing concerns they could eventually be used against U.S. troops.

Mike Davis, sales manager at Desert Tech, said the company was on a short list for a contract with Pakistan, but spurned the opportunity because of unrest in Pakistan and ethical concerns.

It was a difficult decision because of the amount of money involved, he said, and the sale of rifles to Pakistan would have been legal.

"We don't know that those guns would've went somewhere bad, but with the unrest we just ended up not feeling right about it," Davis told KTVX-TV.

The company, based in the Salt Lake City suburb of West Valley City, was founded in 2007 on the principle of keeping America and its allies safe, he added.

"As a business owner you always want to be successful, but I think ethically and morally you want to go about it the right way and stick behind your founding principles," Davis told KSL.

Weapons sales to allies such as Pakistan are nothing new but they can be complicated, especially in a country with an al-Qaida presence. The U.S. often targets al-Qaida, Taliban and their Pakistani supporters in the country's tribal regions.

"I've got to admire Desert Tech for potentially turning down what could have been a very lucrative contract in the interest of protecting American service members," said Col. Steven R. Watt of the Utah National Guard.

The rifles can change caliber within minutes and have the capacity to shoot as far as 3,000 yards.

Desert Tech, formerly known as Desert Tactical Arms, has had military contracts with other countries but declined to reveal specifics.

I salute them!

F%@K Pakistan.

Sua Sponte!!

With the constant barrage of negative news in this world, it is refreshing to hear of patriots with principles and morales above all else. I wish them all success in God's speed.
Semper Fi

Refreshing for a change. Buena Suerete!

Bad news is there'll be companies lining up fill his order.

Grizz

glad they can turn down business.

gotta say, not sure small arms are going to make any difference one way or the other in the fight that is coming..

I always said that we should sell everything possible to everyone on earth; that way we can control spare parts supply, and we know exactly what we are up against. Modern weapon systems quickly turn into junk without a good logistics system backing them up. (AKs and RPGs are not included in this scenario; they seem never wear out or break.)
I used to review FMS (foreign military sales) cases for the Army.

The Desert Tech rifles will last a long time before they break, I'm sure of that. That said, the importance of small arms in general is overstated and in particular the quality of one weapon over another is not as important as many think. At least in the hands of third world armies.