Slashdot Mirror
The Pentagon's Ultimate Home Theater
Steve Silberman writes "I was the first reporter to see the inside of a new battle-simulation system designed by the Institute for Creative Technologies, a 'military-entertainment' think tank sponsored by the Defense Department. Starting in September, Marines, infantrymen, and Air Force pilots will train for war in Matrix-like rooms in Oklahoma simulating urban and desert environments, with surround sound and photorealistic rendering of bombing runs and other scenarios. It may or may not be the future of military training, but it's certainly the future of home gaming. My article, 'The War Room,' will appear in the September issue of Wired."
...if the geeks behind it ever use it to play counter-strike.
Another way for you bloody Yanks to kill people. Mod points and karma be damned.. surely there's a better way to spend your money. If you put half as much energy and cash into education maybe you wouldn't be the dumbfucks you are today.
-- "...I'm a bad guy because I, well, I sing some rock-and-roll songs." M. Manson
"Hi. I am a Wired writer. I would like to advertise my employer and possibly to third party suck-ups. Will you not join me in some ass kissing?"
What is it about Christians who read an article about a war room feeling compelled to whip out their Bibles and see who can quote the most verses? I can't count the number of times my friends have been talking about some war somewhere, a Bible comes out, and before you know it the verses are flying around the room hot and heavy.
No weapon in the arsenals of the world is so formidable as the will and moral courage of free men.-Ronald Reagan
The military has a high regard for it's own resources. They bear the burden of replacing them. The government does *not* have a high regard for human life, full stop. The government tells the military what to do. You do the math.
I also think that, especially in today's environments, that the military has a healthy respect for human life outside of its own. How one achieves an objective is rapidly becoming just as important as accomplishing it. US policy is being judged on how well a soldier responds to a shoot/don't shoot scenerio or how much collateral damage is inflicted in an operation. Especially now that media organizations around the world can publicise every incident in near real-time.
This is an interesting (recent) American cultural phenomena. The idea that you shouldn't harm people (collateral damage) whilst obtaining military goals. Compare this to the Israeli 'if it moves, kill it' philosophy.
This idea results in a false economy. More lives are lost over the long term than would have been lost in a descisive battle.
I would much prefer that America had gone into Iraq and killed every man, woman and child. Do you really think that anyone would have argued with them after that?
However, considering the greatest enemy of America is it's own people, the 'war on terror' has proved to be an excellent method of stripping the people of their rights, little by little. I guess that's worth the lives of a few hundred soldiers to ensure that the ruling class is protected.
This will get modded flamebait for sure!