Defense Department wants your ideas for fighting terrorism

Stars and Stripes ^ | 7 Nov 01 | Wayne Specht

[xzins]

Wednesday, November 7, 2001

Defense Department wants your ideas for fighting terrorism

By Wayne Specht, Stars and Stripes

Know an innovative way to combat terrorism? If so, Uncle Sam wants you.

Pentagon officials are seeking the public’s ideas for defeating difficult targets, conducting operations in remote areas and figuring out ways to counter weapons of mass destruction.

Concepts must be developed and fielded within the next 18 months, according to a Pentagon announcement.

Believing it to be some type of contest, a few people have asked officials what the prizes are for the best idea.

More than 4,000 ideas have been received, including one from Israel, a Pentagon spokesman said. Initial one-page responses are due by Dec. 23.

The Defense Department will review the proposal and may ask the submitter to provide a more detailed, 12-page description.

The Defense Department will evaluate those submissions, and ask those who submitted the most promising ideas to submit full proposals in a third phase.

In a related development, the FBI has shut down its terrorism tip line. Law enforcement sources said the call volume has dropped, and local FBI offices can handle the tips.

People interested in submitting proposals to the Defense Department can obtain more information by visiting: www.bids.tswg.gov.

submit proposals

A list of local FBI offices is available on the Internet at: www.fbi.gov/contact/fo/info.htm

FBI Contacts

[xzins]

Ran today in Stars and Stripes, the newspaper read by most overseas military members. DOD is serious about this.

Serious proposals -- anyone have any ideas out there? Anyone want to troubleshoot, flame, kibbitz, etc. on ideas.

[Warren]

Neutron bomb.

[xzins]

I understand there are something like a, b, c particles that also accompany the neutron bomb. I'm not sure which is the most serious consideration with neutroning someone but apparently these particles last different amounts of time and cause different kinds of damage depending on proximity. If one of them (alpha, I believe) gets into your system via food, dust, etc., then it'll kill you 5 years later.

Any experts out there on this stuff?

[ChaseR]

"...and figuring out ways to counter weapons of mass destruction."

bttt

[Goldi-Lox]

Nope. Pig Bomb.

They aren't afraid to die. Nuclear..neutron...all the same ticket to Paradise.

Pig 'em. That keeps 'em outta Paradise. Drop Pig parts, with enough force to cause entry thru the skin to contaminate them. Pig Bombs. That's the ticket.

It'll scare the daylights outta them.

[Goldi-Lox]

We can label the bombs:

Flying Pigs.
When Pigs Fly.
Pork You!
Bacon Bombs.
Flying Porkers.
All your pigs are belong to us! From Uncle Ham!

[Don Myers]

b

[Warren]

News to me. I had always heard the radiation from a Neutron bomb disappated shortly after detonation.

[Warren]

How about a Neutron bomb in the shape of a pig.

[xzins]

I was speaking with a legit weapons guy with 30 years of weapons background. I just don't remember. Another reader says its the beta particle. In any case, there things can be nasty for a long time, too.

[PoorMuttly]

Goldi-Lox would prefer a pig in the shape of a neutron bomb.

[FreeAtlanta]

Good ideas should not be posted here. They should be kept to yourself and forwarded to the Defense department. For all we know, you could be an Al Quada member trying to figure out what the US might do next. No offense intended.

[Warren]

Okay, thanks for the info. The info I had was old stuff.

[cake_crumb]

Hmmm, I have to think on this. Bookmarked this thread, too. BUMP

[Bigg Red]

Good ideas should not be posted here.

You're right, of course. But can we keep Goldi-Lox's pig bomb ideas up?

Keep hammin' it up, Goldi-Lox!

[TexasRepublic]

Here's a suggestion: close the borders. Station armed militia at regular intevals along the entire Mexican and Canadian borders. Shoot infiltrators attempting to cross.

[Blueflag]

Going back a few years to physics ...

Alpha radiation is large -- helium nuclei, and can be blocked by aluminum foil. It is ionizing nonetheless and if very strong will harm you. Beta radiation is high energy electrons (the stuff that makes your CRT and TV light up) and it also can harm you as ionizing radiation if strong enough. Gamma radiation, like x-rays is the highest energy and most damaging (hardest to shield-- thick concrete, lead, etc., etc.)

Bottom line is that there must be something that is radioactive (i.e. fallout) to emit the radiation. If you ingest radioactive material, you are at risk. If you touch it, or it touches you, or just gets near you (depending on its emissions and strength,) you are, of course, at less risk. "Radiation" does not hang around. It has to have a source. As I understand it, the nature of a neutron bomb's fission is that is does not cause other atoms to become radioactive, but rather just produces an intense stream of neutrons upon its explosion, thus destroying the ability of biological nuclear material (RNA and DNA) to sustain life. IT also produces significant EMP, shutting down unshielded elctronics.

[Blueflag]

xzins has been around here for quite awhile. I'll come to his/her defense.

[InfraRed]

I keep reading about a large number of illegal immigrants that arrived on work or school visas, then stayed beyond the visa expiration date. They've "slipped through the cracks", and the authorities don't have the manpower to track all of them down.

Offer a reward to anyone providing information that leads to the arrest and/or deportation of middle easterners with expired visas or fake identification. Minor modifications to current infrastructure (such as the NICS which is already in place for "instant" background checks during firearm purchases) could probably be put to good use and streamline the process. Make it easy for someone to report a tip.

Sound the alarm if a name doesn't match INS records -- you've probably just caught either a border jumper or someone using fake id. Also sound the alarm if the person's visa is expired, or if the same name is reported with multiple addresses.

Considering the current employment situation, the reward probably wouldn't need to be large. With 280 million U.S. citizens on the lookout, terrorists would find it very difficult to operate.

[firewatch]

Thank you for that suggestion.I just submitted my proposal.One of these can not be mentioned here.One other one,I will mention because it would be of help to any individual heading off to Afghanistan. It is this.I suggested all branches of the military should commence short familiarization classes on the Kalashnikov rifle.If a man should become seperated from his rifle in combat or in that area,the availability of on of these would require it.If in the heat of combat a soldier could not even release the safety or know what position it was in immediately,it could cost his life.