Posted on 09/13/2006 6:42:45 AM PDT by rightgrafix
WASHINGTON - Nonlethal weapons such as high-power microwave devices should be used on American citizens in crowd-control situations before they are used on the battlefield, the Air Force secretary said Tuesday.
Domestic use would make it easier to avoid questions in the international community over any possible safety concerns, said Air Force Secretary Michael Wynne.
"If we're not willing to use it here against our fellow citizens, then we should not be willing to use it in a wartime situation," said Wynne.
"(Because) if I hit somebody with a nonlethal weapon and they claim that it injured them in a way that was not intended, I think that I would be vilified in the world press."
The Air Force has funded research into nonlethal weapons, but he said the service isn't likely to spend more money on development until injury issues are reviewed by medical experts and resolved.
Nonlethal weapons can weaken people if they are hit with the beam.
Some of the weapons can emit short, intense energy pulses that also disable some electronic devices.
unbelievable ping
How about testing the weapons at some of our prisons when there is a riot. That should get satisfactory data for the Euroweenies....
OK I'm for it..new drug testing as well. Do condemned prisoners want to pay their debt to society? Let them pay.
You first.
First off, they (being anyone opposed to us, our way of life, our political system, our hair styles, dress, religion, etc.) are going to make wild claims no matter what. Remember, these are the same types who swore there was "torture" Koran-flushing, etc. Come to find out, none of it happened. And no, I don't call the "stress positions" etc. torture. What these guys went through is on the order of slightly over the top fraternity pranks. Anyway, no matter what, there are going to make exaggerated claims.
Second, given the choice of lethal force, or non-lethal but injurious... Don't you think not dying is better? Oh wait, these are the same types that willingly blow themselves up, so maybe not... There is the question of sanity though.
Third, as he states right there, the intent is in fact to injure them, period. Harsh language just isn't going to cut it. These kinds of methods and "weapons" are to be used when the next step is someone's going to get killed. So getting injured? Tough luck.
The hand-wringers would turn this country into a bunch of lilly livered pansies. We send our men and women out acting like Girl Scouts on a cookie drive and there will be no respect, no fear, nothing to stop them or give them pause. I say make them afraid, absolutely terrified of what we can and might do. Far less chance of them starting anything.
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