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The world
is increasingly becoming a smaller place—and it behooves us to
look around the globe to see what other countries are doing in the
War on Terror.
There has
been much talk in the news lately of possible connections to domestic
gangs with terrorist organizations such as Al Qaeda. With that in
mind, S.W.A.T. traveled to El Salvador to bring our readers a
first-hand look at how that country’s Unidad Tactica
Operativa—the unit tasked with dealing with gangs—is
handling the problem with such gangs as the notorious Mara
Salvatruchas (MS-13). We also have a report on France’s
GSPR—arguably one of the world's best VIP protection units.
Taking
responsibility for personal security, however, begins at home. That’s
why, like always, you will also find evaluations of firearms training
schools and weapons reviews—the straight-talking type of
reports you have come to expect from S.W.A.T.
S.W.A.T.
is also a staunch defender of The Bill of Rights—all of them.
Don’t miss noted author Claire Wolfe’s political
commentaries column Enemy At The Gate. This month’s
column is titled “Criminals Have More Rights Than Police (And
Be Very Glad They Do).” John Steinbeck
was correct; the final weapon really is the brain. And Claire's
articles, while they may be controversial at times, are guaranteed to
make people think.
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The Briefing Room:
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The Global War On Terror
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Denny Hansen
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Enemy At The Gate:
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Criminals Have More Rights Than Police (And Be Very Glad They Do)
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Claire Wolfe
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Frontline Debriefs:
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Never Underestimate The Opposition
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Scott Reitz
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Street Smarts:
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Four Years And Counting
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Brent T. Wheat
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Training & Tactics:
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Single Pistol Or Two?
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Louis Awerbuck
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Up Close And Personal:
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The Head Shot
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Jeff Gonzales
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| The Gear Locker: |
| New Products and Accessories |
| Staff |
| Lawful Carry: |
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Don Hume Leathergoods
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| Flint Hansen |
| Long Guns: |
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Stag Arms 15L: An AR-15 For Southpaws
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| Leroy Thompson |
| Mail Room: |
| Letters from our Readers |
| Staff |
| Off Beat: |
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New B-Square Tactical Bipod
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Eugene Nielsen
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| The Cutting Edge: |
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Benchmade's 520
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| Mick Williams |
| Training Calendar: |
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Find Out Where And When What Training Is Occurring
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| Staff |
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Previous tables of contents and featured articles can be found in the Archives ...
check it out >>>
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Click on the cover
image for an enlarged
screen shot of the
August 2005 Cover |

Build It!
Homemade Reactive Target System
S.W.A.T.’s
editor gets out from behind the desk and into the workshop to build
turning, running and charging target systems—for less than a
hundred dollars. If you want some variety on your range, this is a
good place to start.
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by Denny Hansen
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On The Front Lines Against MS-13:
El Salvador's UTO
Mara
Salvatruchas, often referred to simply as MS-13, has between 30,000
and 50,000 members in half a dozen countries. In recent months, the
departments of Justice and Homeland Security have launched a series
of initiatives to confront the threat posed by the gang. S.W.A.T.
authors Chris Barfield and Jeff Randall traveled to El Salvador to
get a firsthand look at that country’s unit tasked with dealing
with the notorious gang, which has ties to Al Qaeda
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by Chris Barfield
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S.W.A.T. Sweepstakes: Win a DS Arms Z4GTC Carbine!
DS
Arms’ Z4GTC (Gas Trap Carbine) combines the superb ergonomics
of the AR-15 with the legendary reliability of the FN-FAL. What makes
this gun so exciting is the POF upper receiver that uses a redesigned
bolt carrier and gas system which operates like a FAL-type gas
system. This month’s Sweepstakes has a value of $1,675.00!
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| Courtesy of S.W.A.T. |
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Select the image on the right for an enlarged screen shot of the August 2005 Table of Contents
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Kahr K9 Elite:
Polished Perfection In A Compact Pistol
The Kahr K9 Elite is a compact, reliable and accurate
handgun. Custom features coupled with simple operation and excellent
ergonomics make it a good choice for self-defense.
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Eugene Nielsen
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France's GSPR:
One of the World's Best VIP Protection Units
Read about the composition, training, firearms and ancillary
equipment of France’s Groupe de Sécurité de la
Présidence de la République (GSPR). Little known
outside of the VIP protection community, it is considered one of the
world’s best.
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Leroy Thompson
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Do You Have A Survival Strategy?
It's About More Than Firearms
Critiquing
himself after his house burned down, the author takes a hard look at
what worked, what could have been done better and how prior training
saved his life and that of his grandson.
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Denny Hansen
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Tactical Training:
Balancing Content and Context
The
Director of Operations of Valhalla Training Center discusses how
important it is to fit the curriculum of a course to the student’s
needs.
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Rob Pincus
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Two-Man Team Tactics:
Building On Individual Skills
Honing
individual skills is a must, but if you work with a partner both
lives are dependent upon the ability to move, shoot and communicate.
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Scott Lewis
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SureFire's M600 Scout Light:
A Smaller Light For Your Carbine
For
those who need a light on a carbine (and almost everyone does)
SureFire has introduced a smaller, lighter weapon light. Available
with either a bright incandescent or more efficient LED bulb, the
Scout Light offers a new option to military, police and the private
citizen.
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Patrick A. Rogers
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Don't Just Stand There!
Tac Pro Shooting Center's Primary Pistol Course
Tac Pro
Shooting Center provides a unique opportunity to learn for a talented
and experienced instructor who sometimes challenges the conventional
wisdom of defensive firearms instruction. You may end up being a
better tactician for the encounter.
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Tim McCord & Kelly McWethy
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Taser's X26C:
Less-Lethal Citizen Defense System
The
Taser has gained worldwide acceptance among law enforcement agencies
for a less-lethal force option. A new model, the X26C is now
available to the general public. Read about its performance and
features in the article.
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Eugene Nielsen
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Keep Both Eyes Open!
Like
anything else, keeping both eyes open while shooting takes practice.
Once learned, though, it becomes second nature and the results are
well worth the effort.
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Jacob Gottfredson
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DSA's SA58 .243 Carbine:
Powerful, Accurate, Dependable
The
.243 Winchester cartridge is the “old school” version of
a mid-range caliber. When coupled with the FAL-type rifle design, the
end result is power and utter reliability.
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Steve Malloy
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