It’s been reported of late that police forces in the United States don’t have access to the amount of ammunition they require due to the training of troops and the ongoing operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Interestingly, it seems that turning to the American people themselves might be a solution to their woes – that is, if they all have ammunition for their guns.

According to the Geneva-based Graduate Institute of International Studies, there are 90 guns for every 100 citizens in the United States, meaning that of the world’s 875 million known firearms, US citizens own some 270 million of them. Of the 8 million weapons manufactured worldwide on a yearly basis, 4.5 million of them are purchased in the United States.

Now, it should be made clear that these constitute ‘civilian firearms’, not weapons purchased or used by the military. In short, if the people of the United States got it in their heads to turn on their own government, they’d have more than a fighting chance. In fact, and not including advanced weaponry, they’d have an advantage in firepower.

Now where’s that revolutionary spirit gone?

Quick, somebody put on some Ween.

In other clusterfuckage around the world, which means that the information I am about present entirely revolves around Iraq, The UNHCR is reporting…

“More than four million Iraqis have fled their homes because of sectarian violence, the largest population movement in the Middle East since Palestinians left the new state of Israel, the United Nations refugee agency said on Tuesday.

“An estimated 4.2 million Iraqis have been uprooted from their homes, with the monthly rate of displacement climbing to over 60,000 people compared to 50,000 previously,” UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) spokeswoman Jennifer Pagonis told journalists.

More than two million Iraqis are displaced within their own country, with around half being uprooted following the February 2006 Samarra bombings, seen as the catalyst for the latest wave of sectarian conflict, the UNHCR said.

“Many are barely surviving in makeshift camps, inaccessible to aid workers for security reasons,” Pagonis warned.”

How do you know when something is a bad idea? When it makes the regime of Saddam Hussein look like an acceptable alternative.

Speaking of millions of people. One million Shi’ites were evacuated today from a shrine in Karbala after clashes between rival Shi’ite militias broke out resulting in 50 deaths and the burning of three hotels.