The first crates of the new government issue A.R.15-type rifles had arrived at Danang air base in Vietnam with an instructor who extolled the virtues of the new weapons. There were quite a few chuckles when one of the Marines opened the crate to reveal what looked like something from the Mattel toy company. The laughter stopped when the instructor picked up one of the rifles, slapped in a banana clip and proceeded to cut down an 8-inch diameter tree. It was clear that these weapons were designed to kill a lot of people fast. The president of the NRA …