[Pearls Before Swine]

As part of the armament, every squad will have along an 18" machete, honed to a razor edge.

Is the razor edge really necessary?

[alloysteel]

Damned straight it is necessary. We are not animals, like al-Qaeda. We like to show we are much more professional, by one clean strike. Consciousness still lasts about 15 seconds or so, after the head is severed from the body. The clumsy hacking off of the head is much more painful and torturous, and the mark of amateurs.