alexs,

The important question for me: who runs the firing range in Cambodia? Is it a locally run business or an expat one. That's an important distinction?

Just to explain where I am coming from - I live in Viet Nam. About 30 or 40 km north of me is the Cu Chi tunnels, a famous area where the VC buried tunnels from which to fight the South Vietnamese and the US. These days, it is a popular tourist attraction, especially among foreigners. Buses come from HCMC bearing Japanese, Americans and Australians. See how the guerillas lived! Wonder at the architecture of the tunnels! Shudder at the ingenious traps made from shell casings and wood!

If you wish, you can also shoot at the firing range present. The options are a little more limited than Cambodia: AK-47s (which everyone seems to prefer) and M16s. I saw no RPGs, I'm afraid. On two out of the three occasions that I have visited Cu Chi, I have use the occasion to have another crack at the AKs.

I felt no guilt, and feel none whatsoever now. Why? Well, you got the feeling that the government of the day (and the locals who helped out) condoned and approved the firing range. The Cu Chi tunnels are a symbol of the war... and a symbol of who won it. (It wasn't the nation with the initials U, S, or A, was it?) If they tacked on a firing range, then they thought it was a pretty good idea. They thought it was ok for foreigners like myself to let off a full clip. I should add that I'm pretty certain the people who handed the ammo over and supervised the guns were serving soldiers. (Put it this way, it's probably easier work than running 10 km a day.)

Oh, and my Vietnamese wife sees nothing wrong with the firing range either.

Hey jamesmassola, I'm the one that sounds frustrated?

If the link wrinkled your collar I apologize. All I'm saying is that it doesn't seem that bad to me. And I tried to say it politely. As for the "Would we tolerate a tourists' shooting range next door to Auschwitz?", that too is more than just a bit disingenuous. The shooting range is a kilometer away, probably further, not "next door".