***Yesterday, Russia’s Interior Ministry proposed treating the sale and circulation of traumatic weapons (less-lethal firearms that fire rubber bullets) the same as regular firearms. The ministry was responding to criticism from Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, who told Interior Minister Rashid Nurgaliyev that traumatic weapons in the country are being sold to "just about anyone." ***/////// Yesterday I gave kozenko a comment for this article. That’s how I learned about the Interior Ministry’s wonderful initiative. This morning I sat down at my computer determined to write a long, angry post exposing this idiotic idea. With statistics, examples, international experience, personal experience, an analysis of the corruption angle, and so on. But first I decided to read the news. The first item I came across completely killed any desire to prove anything to you, readers of my cozy little blog. Because everything is obvious as it is. ***Gang of robbers caught in central Moscow after shootout: two turned out to be criminal investigation officers ***/////// P.S. Both were officers, by the way. A captain and a major (!).