US uses bullets ill-suited for new ways of war
Associated Press - May 26, 2008 6:03 PM ET

WASHINGTON (AP) - Strange as it sounds, nearly seven years into the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, bullets are a controversial subject for the U.S.

Only a select few, including Army snipers, carry M14s. The long-barreled rifle spits out bullets larger and more deadly than the rounds that fit the M4 carbines and M16 rifles that most soldiers carry.

The smaller, steel-penetrating M855 rounds continue to be a weak spot in the American arsenal. According to Associated Press interviews, those bullets are not lethal enough to bring down an enemy decisively -- and that puts troops at risk.

At about 33 cents each, bullets do not get a lot of public attention in Washington, where the size of the debate is usually measured by how much a piece of equipment costs. But billions of M855 rounds have been produced, and Congress is preparing to pay for many more.

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