New weapon allows a soldier to zap enemy with energy bolt

[ECH1969]

WASHINGTON - A car moves toward a checkpoint in Iraq, and U.S. troops order it to stop. It doesn't. Fearing the vehicle is a suicide bomb waiting to happen, a soldier aims his weapon.

Using an invisible ray that travels at the speed of light, the soldier zaps the driver with a bolt of energy that feels like a body-wide bee sting. The beam's punch, which leaves neither a burn nor residual pain, instantly stops the driver.

When the soldier approaches the car, he finds not an insurgent intent on attack but a confused civilian who didn't understand the order to halt. If the beam had been a bullet, an innocent Iraqi would be dead.

That is one scenario that boosters use to describe the potential utility of the revolutionary "Active Denial System," a nonlethal weapon developed at Kirtland Air Force Base in New Mexico.

http://www.knoxnews.com/kns/national/article/0,1406,KNS_350_4416249,00.html

[benburch]

1. Phasers set on "Stun"!

I refuse to wear a red shirt.

[area51]

16. LOL. (n/t)

[NJCher]

2. oh, I'm so pleased

My tax dollars at work.

:sarcasm:




Cher

[bemildred]

3. Old weapon allows enemy to zap soldier with high explosives. nt

[Lithos]

4. Stops the driver?

If the guy is driving, stopping him may cause an accident as well.

There is no such thing as a "free" or clean weapon.

L-

[Posteritatis]

30. Color me evil, but I'd prefer that to a dozen rounds of .30 cal... (n/t)

[applegrove]

34. Better than a bullet. Though if tazers are any example..people will

still die.

[Posteritatis]

35. Probably true enough, and that obviously still sucks

However, I remain grudgingly tolerant of, if not cheerfully enthusiastic about, anything that results in fewer people getting killed or maimed. If folks are gonna be manning roadblocks with the authority to use force, something effective and (mostly) nonlethal versus something effective and (mostly) lethal is gonna be a relatively clear-cut thing for me.

Besides, stuff like this reaaaaaaaaaally drives the "nuke the durned towelhead Ay-rabs!" crowd up the wall, since their daily allotment of blood sacrifice is reduced. I like that less than I like the idea of fewer people dying, but I still like it. ;)

[applegrove]

36. People don't want to die. Anything that avoids that is better. Life is

precious.

[Posteritatis]

38. Amen! (n/t)

[burrowowl]

37. My thoughts exactly

stopping the driver does not necessarily stop the car!

[Amonester]

5. Dupe.

How many thousands more??

[Amonester]

6. "but a confused civilian who didn't understand the order to halt"

"When the soldier approaches the car, he finds not an insurgent intent on attack but a confused civilian who didn't understand the order to halt. If the beam had been a bullet, an innocent Iraqi would be dead."

But... but...but... The beam IS a bullet, and ANOTHER innocent Iraqi IS dead. AND it's BUSH's FAULT! (again...)

How many thousands more??

[CoffeeCat]

7. Are we supposed to be impressed?

The fact that we invaded Iraq and that years later--our military soldiers stand armed at CHECKPOINTS--is horrible.

Pardon me if I'm not impressed with the kinder, gentler stun gun.

I'm sickened that we set out to free a group of people, who are practically held hostage inside their own country as they drive past checkpoints manned by heavily armed soldiers.

[951-Riverside]

8. So they hit the driver with this stupid beam contraption

and the drivers stop whats to say he won't trigger his explosives after they approach.

[undergroundpanther]

9. Also they

have this pain beam munted on humvees for civilian crowd control.The beam goes out for like TWO MILES.

Looks like We with our taxes and unquestioning work as busy bees for the corporate masters have made and paid for the torture devices Bushco will use to subdue American citizens.

Did I mention I fucking HATE bush and the Neocon "military/industrial complex"??

[KakistocracyHater]

10. Like a taser, it will be lethal for some with heart conditions,

perhaps those with cancer, chronic conditions......can you imagine walking down a city block only to turn the corner & get caught up in a crowd where they use such a weapon?

[Moochy]

11. Better Living Through Technofascism!

[0rganism]

12. Ah, that would be Mjollnir, hammer of Thor

Nice to know the Artifact Research & Reposession Agency has been at work, anyway.

[shadowknows69]

15. awesome reply O

I think we probably have the Ark of the Covenant laying around here as well. More likely we got the stun ray from the aliens though.

[The_Casual_Observer]

13. "potential utility of the revolutionary"

What do you bet that this would require a power supply the size of an industrial building? And a source of power to match. No wonder that this is an "all talk" and no show article.

Kirtland AFB should have been shut down 20 years ago, at the end of the ballistic missile program, this kind of shit is supposed to impress the congressmen into keeping the place afloat.

[Hekate]

14. New weapon allows cops to zap crowds in the Free Speech Zone

Keep moving, folks; git along little dogies.

:scared: :scared: :scared: :scared: :scared: :scared:

Hekate

[Ignis]

24. "You'll get your damn free speech, hippie!"

Of course, you may twitch and glow a little. And be wary of coming too close to any electronic devices for a few days.

Otherwise, enjoy your Freedom(tm)!

[oneighty]

32. New weapon

finds a new home in terrorist camp. No king ever rests easy again forever.

180

[Dr Batsen D Belfry]

17. Feel free to color me stupid here, but

how many times have we heard on the news about some poor soul who had a seizure of coronary while driving, and STEPPED ON THE GAS

What honestly makes them think that causing pain to the individual, non-lethal notwithstanding, will stop the vehicle? Perhaps I am just missing something.

Now if they had that gizmo the police sometimes use that shorts out the vehicle...That wouldn't prevent the bomb from going off either, though.

DBDB

[baldguy]

18. Enemies

[IDemo]

19. The "Active Denial System" is already in place and working:

[pushycat]

20. What if the beam hits a person in the face, eyes, pacemaker?

Weapon from hell...nonlethal does not apply.

[saigon68]

21. They will use this to disperse crowds

COUNT ON IT

[951-Riverside]

26. I wonder what happened to their Microwave Gun & Sound Blaster?

Seems like every year they talk about deploying this crap to iraq but you don't hear/read anything past that.

[saigon68]

29. They probably have this stuff they are just waiting for the right time

TO USE IT

[baby_mouse]

22. Just GUESS what's going to happen. Go on. See if you can GUESS. nt

[pushycat]

25. Does the opposition have this technology? doomsday for sure..

[baby_mouse]

28. Which opposition? nt

Pain rays coming to a police station near YOU so you can be zapped for lookin' funny is what I meant.

[pushycat]

31. I meant are there any of these weapons used by insurgents yet?

Have they been able to capture one or steal any? It's bound to happen if they're already using them in Iraq either to test with or actual field use.

And, your prediction is probably right these will be used for any reason by law 'enforcement', just like Tasers are now.

[baby_mouse]

40. If the insurgents acquire one...

ooo danger will robinson.

Does this machine need any ammunition, I wonder?

[951-Riverside]

41. Probably just need a portable power supply. n/t

[Kablooie]

23. I could really use a big jolt of energy now and then.

[sakabatou]

27. Old news that comes up ahgain and again

Basically, it's a microwave beam. So you're being "nuked" in a sense.

[0007]

33. I think the gun that shoots around corners is pretty neat too!

[Rocknrule]

39. What's next, a "Death Star"?

Fire the "laser!"