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30,000-Lb. Bomb On Fast Track For Deployment
coondoggie writes "Published reports today say the Pentagon is rattling swords in the direction of North Korea and Iran by speeding the development a 20-foot, 30,000-lb bomb known as Massive Ordnance Penetrator. This weapon is intended to annihilate underground bunkers and other hardened sites (read: long-range missile or underground nuke development) up to 200 ft. underground. The Defense Threat Reduction Agency, which has overseen the development of this monster since 2007, says it is designed to be carried aboard B-2 and B-52 bombers and deployed at high altitudes, from which it would strike the ground at speeds well beyond twice the speed of sound to penetrate the below-ground target." Reuters has more specifics on the MOP's chances for deployment by 2010, and the detail that the bomb's load of explosives weighs in at 5,300 lbs.
Just because the military says it's under development, doesn't mean it'll make it by then, or that it's true. Granted, this doesn't seem that difficult, but whenever I see a statement from the military (any military) I automatically question its truthfulness.
If you can read this... 01110101 01110010 00100000 01100001 00100000 01100111 01100101 01100101 01101011
N. Korea's regime is a puss-filled boil on the face of humanity but I don't think it's an "appropriate approach" to use an international treaty as toilet paper just to give their tin-pot dictator a taste of reality.
And did you exchange a walk on part in the war for a lead role in a cage? - Pink Floyd.
Now the US can bomb even more civilian bunkers to bits than they did in the Iraq war!
The constant aggression from the US is the biggest reason theese countries tries to get nuclear arms.
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"A peaceful and civilized nation"? Is there any nation fitting that description anywhere?
Sweden, maybe.
A 60 percent taxation rate is uncivilized.
It's certainly not the U.S., what with all the wars it's been involved in in just the last century.
If it weren't for the U.S. involvement in WWI and WWII, Sweden would be speaking German today, so how's about you get some fucking perspective? Is that too much to ask (he queried, knowing the answer)?
Unfortunately, the US scares me a lot more than North Korea does.
Then you're a looney.
This kind of bomb is pure stupidity. Remember the MOAB? Pure stupid. This is macho jock thinking, military style. "Mine's bigger than yours!" Pure political bullshit.
We already have bombs big enough to destroy almost anything above ground. As for underground targets - well, I've been convinced by a number of people that even a nuke may not take out a hardened underground bunker if it's buried 100 feet or more. Both Korea and Iran have terrain in which a bunker might be much deeper than 500 feet.
Follow the link, and read the first sentence: "the Pentagon is rattling swords". That one phrase in the first sentence sums it all up.
Well, I guess they have to make up for other inadequacies in some way.
"Windows is like the faint smell of piss in a subway: it's there, and there's nothing you can do about it." - Charlie Br
Does it strike anyone as disturbing that while the left hand talks of disarming and reducing nukes, the right hand is developing new bombs?
At least development has been going on since Bushie- at least we'll know who's to blame.
Either way I'm glad I live outside the US, and not in Korea.
Visit http://ringbreak.dnd.utwente.nl/~mrjb/growingbettersoftware to download your free copy of the book
How typical American of you. No wonder the rest of the world despises you.
If Gore Vidal is even remotely right it appears we've selected a combination of terrorism and South Korea to distract the public from rational thought and local politics. I wonder what the fire-drill's like for bunker busting nuclear ordinance?
Quack, quack.
This weapon is intended to annihilate underground bunkers and other hardened sites (read: long-range missile or underground nuke development)
Or civilian refuges, given the case.
And education?
And housing?
Once everything is done and dusted, who will be better off? Who will be worst off? (hint: politicians and CEOs of companies enriching itselves with the fat contracts are not going to be the ones harmed in another round of military adventurism).
When are USians going to wake up and smell the coffee?
IANAL but write like a drunk one.
And other than Hussein being a jerk, it was working--there's no evidence Iraq actually HAD any WMDs. The US just fabricated that story so they could go to war and depose Hussein. All while claiming to be "the good guys".
People are never as simple as their stereotypes. This applies equally to Christians, Muslims, and Emacs-lovers.
China seems to use NK the same way a redneck likes to keep a slobbering pitbull on a chain prominently on display in his back yard. Sure you can just shoot the nasty thing dead but it won't be the end of it and it isn't much use talking to it. The redneck is the one you have to reason with.
China seems to use NK the same way a nigger likes to keep a slobbering pitbull on a chain prominently on display in his back yard. Sure you can just shoot the nasty thing dead but it won't be the end of it and it isn't much use talking to it. The nigger is the one you have to reason with.
Fixed that for you.
Personally, I'm still sniggering at it being called a "penetrator". Compensation much?
Um ... no. You realize "penetrate" has meaning completely separate from sexual acts, right?
Especially given that for hardened targets deep underground, kinetic bombardment is probably a more appropriate approach.
I see. Maybe the Pentagon should hire you instead.
You are an idiot.
Why is it so hard to only have politicians for a few years, then have them go away?
I don't suppose you have any idea what has kept the dollar value so high ever since Nixon took the dollar off the gold standard?
I'll give you a hint -- it's brownish-black, liquid, and comes from deep underground.
So, ultimately, we kicked the crap out of Iraq (and have made similar noises about Venezuela, at least when it comes to "regime change") because the Iraqis were serious about accepting euros for oil, instead of just dollars. As soon as any other currency besides the dollar becomes viable tender for oil transactions, the proverbial smelly brown stuff hits the fan as far as the dollar is concerned. (Hint: Part [though not all] of why the US government is so down on Hugo Chavez has to do with the same issue -- he's talked about taking euros for oil, instead of only dollars.) Any such implosion in the value of the dollar would seriously screw with the global economy. For example, just consider how much dollar-denominated debt China owns, and how unhappy China would be if it were suddenly worth peanuts.
Don't believe me, some AC on /.? Fine, that's smart. But have a look, and do some reading. I'm not just making stuff up here.
(NB: Posting anon for modding purposes.)
Cheers,