Funny, no one told me that
rioting was a big problem in Iraq. I mean, I could have sworn this was a guerilla insurgency, with terrorists skittling out of the woodwork to plant IEDs and such, and then skittling back into their spider holes.
Apparently not:
Scientists are questioning the safety of a "Star Wars"-style ray gun due to be deployed in Iraq for riot control next year.
More after the fold (it gets worse):
Scientists are questioning the safety of a "Star Wars"-style ray gun due to be deployed in Iraq for riot control next year.
The Active Denial System weapon, classified as "less lethal" by the Pentagon, fires a 95-gigahertz microwave beam at rioters to cause heating and intolerable pain in less than five seconds.
The idea is that people caught in the beam will rapidly try to move out of it and therefore break up the crowd.
Sounds effective. Assuming, well, that everyone doesn't trample each other to death trying to make the searing pain stop.
Scientists think there might be a hitch in the plan, though:
New Scientist magazine reported Wednesday that during tests carried out at Kirtland Air Force Base in New Mexico, participants playing the part of rioters were told to remove glasses and contact lenses to protect their eyes.
In another test, they were also told to remove metal objects like coins from their clothing to avoid local hot spots developing on their skin.
"What happens if someone in a crowd is unable for whatever reason to move away from the beam," asked Neil Davison, coordinator of the non-lethal weapons research project at Britain's Bradford University. "How do you ensure that the dose doesn't cross the threshold for permanent damage? Does the weapon cut out to prevent overexposure?"
The magazine said a vehicle-mounted version of the weapon named Sheriff was scheduled for service in Iraq in 2006, and that U.S. Marines and police were both working on portable versions.
Funny, I'm not so worried about the pocket-change-and-specs thing. What I'm worried about, and I apologize for burying the lead here, is why the fuck is the Pentagon developing crowd control weapons?
And no, I'm sorry, I do not buy the red herring that this fucked up idea was born from a street situation in Baghdad or Mosul. Fuck that. I guarantee you this idea has been around for a goddamn long time, and urban warfare in Iraq is nothing more than a fucking excuse.
No sir. This has neocon stink all over it, and if you cannot envision a scenario in which a beastly machine like this will be used to put down a domestic insurgency or stop a legitimate demonstration at home, then stop and think.
Why is the Pentagon in the crowd control business. It's a good goddamn question.