Slashdot Mirror
Millimeter-Wave Weapon Certified For Use In Iraq
jdray writes "Wired has a story on the certification of the Active Denial System for use in Iraq. The ADS is a millimeter-wave weapon that uses a reportedly non-lethal energy beam to inflict short-term pain on its targets, encouraging them to leave an area. Experimenters call this the 'Goodbye effect.' I can see using this in a wartime situation, but how long before we see these things mounted to the top of S.W.A.T. vans for domestic crowd control? And, is that a bad idea?" From the article: The ADS shoots a beam of millimeters waves, which are longer in wavelength than x-rays but shorter than microwaves — 94 GHz (= 3 mm wavelength) compared to 2.45 GHz (= 12 cm wavelength) in a standard microwave oven... while subjects may feel like they have sustained serious burns, the documents claim effects are not long-lasting. At most, 'some volunteers who tolerate the heat may experience prolonged redness or even small blisters'... There has been no independent checking of the military's claims." Wired use Freedom of Information Act requests to obtain documents on the military's testing program.
Their grievances aren't necessarily legitimate (leftist anarchists and Muslims will stage a riot over virtually anything, and sometimes even for no reason), and in any case they cannot be allowed to go on a rampage.
Waterboarding doesn't cause pain. That's why it isn't torture. Instead it induces a panic response. There is a difference. I'm not saying waterboarding is right, only that it isn't torture.
Don't blame me, I didn't vote for either of them!
"I hope that doesn't mean that they'd fall back to using a machinegun on demonstrators!"
....
These days they cap 92 (or 88) year old Grannies, what makes you think they would even use this device; they would go straight to the VX gas on political dissidents
I am the unwilling control for my Origin.
By that definition any means of physical cohesion is torture, from truncheons and the Judas Chair to a kick under the table at dinner. I wonder why you would adopt such a loose and obviously useless definition.
Oh, I get it. You wish to vilify this device without actually having to justify your feelings so you associate it with the first thing that comes to mind and DAMN ACTUALLY HAVING TO THINK ABOUT WHAT THAT MIGHT MEAN!
The fact that your brand of intellectual laziness can get modded 'insightful' by anyone is the reason such a devices are needed in the first place.