Slashdot Mirror
Weapons of War Now Include Lightning Guns
An anonymous reader writes "The Washington Post is running a lengthy article today about Xtreme Alternative Defense Systems, an Indiana-based company that says its developed a nonlethal weapon that shoots lightning bolts. This article is an in-depth look at a company that's stirred up some controversy on Slashdot in the past. From the article: 'Lightning guns, heat rays, weapons that can make you hear the voice of God. This is what happens when the war on terror meets the entrepreneurial spirit.'"
Sure. But then, it's like the USA uphold the Geneva convention, anyway - camp X-ray is full of people who'd be able to tell stories you about that.
But it's not limited to the Geneva convention, actually. Pretty much all international law is ignored by the USA (and, for that matter, other nations as well) whenever it doesn't match their goals. Take, for example, the Kellogg-Briand pact, signed and ratified by (among others) the USA, which went into effect in 1929 and which outlaws war - and then ask how many wars the USA has not only waged but in fact started since then.
International law is a bit like western civilization according to Gandhi - it would be a good idea. But in reality, it's only invoked when there's a propagandistic need to portray your adversaries as villains to the general public so that you can subsequently ignore it yourself.
quidquid latine dictum sit altum videtur.
What do these weapons do to fight "terrorism"? They just make more terror. The only thing that fights terrorism is turning off the TV and talking to your neighbors face to face. Maybe take a leisurely trip to noplace special, just to talk with people who aren't like you. Guns don't do anything but make more terror and use up more money that could be spent building something people can use.
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make install -not war
Sure. But then, it's like the USA uphold the Geneva convention, anyway - camp X-ray is full of people who'd be able to tell stories you about that.
Get your facts right. The people in camp X-ray were not wearing military fatigues. They are NOT covered by the geneva convention.
Hey! You know that's not true! Stop trolling! Everybody knows the military pays shit.
I don't watch Fox News, I do read quite extensively, and I am married to a Naval Aviator who has 2 degrees in Poli. Sci. and hold and AS in Computer Science. I know more about the world than most do on this site. Because, well, I live in the real world.
And for all you stupid mother fuckers out there... I'M A WIFE!!!!!!! A MOTHER!!!! A SISTER!!!! A DAUGHTER EVEN!!!! I'm not a stupid bastard, I'm not some stupid fanboi hiding behind a script. I'm a living breathing gorgeous redheads with a body that you can only wish to ever see. Get a frickin' clue! Jesus. Sexist bastards.
I am the daughter of many generations of those that fought for the freedom of this country. Those forefathers spit upon all you who would deride freeing the oppressed and making our world a safer place for ALL! I am a Daughter of the American Revolution, a Daughter of the Confederacy, and a Daughter who would fight for peace and equality in ALL THE WORLD!
And all of you would shut me up because I'm give a shit for the great good and can see three generations down the road. Just look back at the last three, and you'll see what we can do if only we can stay the course.
Jho - PROUD TO BE A GIRL!!!
Sorry man... the Internet pooped on me.
Oh come on. The American military is a bunch of cowboys.
I am not even talking about American milatary providing close air support. That is at least understandable. I am talking about the murder of Canadian soldiers who were minding their own damn business, doing their own damn training when two American Nation Air Guard pilots decided to get one last shot at the "enemy".
Time and time again, Americans have shot up their allies, shot up civilians, hell even shelled a hotel full of reporters. It has to stop, and they must be held accountable.
Since the terrorists ignore the Geneva Convention (e.g. killing civilians) means the U.S. military and allies are not bound by them. The fact that we still abide by them is simply because we aren't barbarians like the terrorists.
For those people bitching about us holding people in Gitmo. According to the Geneva Convention, we could have shot those assholes on the spot (combatants in civilian clothes). Again, we aren't barbarians so we stick them in a prison that is actually far better than their home life and try to figure out if they were forced into the military operations or were enthusiastic participants. Perhaps we should stick to the Geneva Convention to the letter and start shooting the ones we have in custody, one a day, until the fucknuts bitching about us holding them shut the hell up.
I can see it now: "The U.S. needs to abide by the Geneva Convention!". "Ok." BANG! "WTF!" BANG! "What the hell are you doing!?" "Exactly what you demanded."
-- Will program for bandwidth
"I wonder how good the accuracy is. If a "bad" guy and a "good" guy are in close combat how do they make sure that the bolt strikes the "bad" guy and is not instead attracted to the metal gun being held by the "good" guy?"
Oh come on, it's simple. Everybody you hit is a bad guy:
I know that sounds terribly cynical. I only wish it weren't the case. The terrible truth is that the armed forces feel that they simply can't tell the full truth because the American people would never accept it.
The military does occasionally see beyond the need to feed the military-industrial complex and there are a great many who care about the accuracy and usefulness of the weapons systems they make available, but they're hindered by the fact that they cannot admit to mistakes on the front.
Whether that's a good thing, a necessary thing, or an evil thing is left as an exercise for the reader. I have my own opinion about this, but I'm not going to foist it on others.
Crumb's Corollary: Never bring a knife to a bun fight.
In the global village, we are all neighbours. BTW, I think in the last war between the US and Canada, Canada won and burned down the White House...
Oh well, what the hell...