U.S. Military reconsiders use of M4 in Afganistan:
Word from the article is that they are talking abotu bringing back to the XM8 to replace the M4…
Lots of variations of that too!!!
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0b/XM8-Poster.jpg
So the solution is to replace a 14.5" barreled 5.56 M4 with a 12.5" barreled 5.56 XM8 
Same old BS.
The M4 was adopted in 1994, not 1997.
Once again, we see an article that implies 7.62x51 NATO and 7.62x39 Russian are the same cartridge.
The M4 carbine was never intended to be the main combat arm. That is what we have the M16 line of rifles for.
7.62x39 is no more effective (if not less) than 5.56 NATO past 300 yards.
In modern assault rifle development, the XM8 has been surpassed by the SCAR, ACR, Colt and LMT monoliths, and FN2000.
General Scales is a douchebag. Somebody beat that stupid fucker to death. Slowly.
Dumb article.