Why are such powerful weapons available?

After the mass shooting at Fort Hood, people asked the usual questions. Why did Maj. Hasan do it? What were his motives? Where there warning signs? Could this have been prevented?

Congress is going to conduct its investigation. Thousands of hours and millions of dollars will be spent to better understand how this incident could have happened when the answer is perfectly clear.

Easy access to high-capacity, semi-automatic handguns that can be concealed on the person means that any angry individual with a grudge can commit mass murder wherever people gather - even military bases.

One of the weapons used in the Fort Hood shooting was an FN Five-seveN pistol manufactured by Belgium gun manufacturer FN Herstal. This gun was originally designed for military use, but is also sold on the U.S. civilian gun market. The manufacturer says this gun fires ammunition capable of piercing body armor. Who wears body armor? Law officers. So the FN Five-seveN pistol is for killing cops.

Congress should start by looking at why we allow such handguns and military-style, semi-automatic assault rifles to be sold to civilians. Otherwise, more mass shootings are inevitable.

John Johnson

Former director,

Iowans for the

Prevention

of Gun Violence