Willie the Kid shoots himself in the foot

MANY people in this country are not familiar with standard safety procedures with firearms.

Apparently the Minister for Defence is one of them - but he should not be blamed personally for his ignorance in that sphere.

However, his statement that he did not intend to give offence by grinning down the barrel of an automatic pistol pointed directly at another person, (and, indeed, you and I) reflects dramatically on his instinctive political judgement.