To cover your first point. What if your pistol IS your primary weapon? I don't recall ever seeing any of my officers packing M16s even on the battlefield.
We can banter back and forth about the situations and such, but the issue still stands.
Velcro does make noise.
Velcro does fail in mud.
Are the noise and mud issues a problem 90% of the time?
No, but why take the chance if you don't have to. I've lost gear secured in velcro'd pouches due to mud related failure. It wasn't in critical life threatening situations, but it was enough to make me think.
While in the military I never gave velcro much thought. The only places I had to deal with it were my Flak Jacket, Helmet Cover, and night desert cammies. Everything had snaps, latches, or buttons.
Since I've been out, and gotten into various outdoor activities. I have found that during extended periods in the field, my velcro has been a sore spot. Even though I haven't had to worry about the noise, I have had to deal with the dirt/mud issues. Its a royal pain when mud gets into the pile. Maybe you can't apreciate mud till you've waded through some good old Georgia clay mud.
Chuck