we will be in Iraq next yr. for sure - new riot beam gun to be used then

[donsu]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8644374/

Scientists worry about Pentagon’s new ray gun

Scientists are questioning the safety of a "Star Wars"-style ray gun due to be deployed in Iraq for riot control next year.

The Active Denial System weapon, classified as “less lethal” by the Pentagon, fires a 95-gigahertz microwave beam at rioters to cause heating and intolerable pain in less than five seconds.

The idea is that people caught in the beam will rapidly try to move out of it and therefore break up the crowd.

But New Scientist magazine reported Wednesday that during tests carried out at Kirtland Air Force Base in New Mexico, participants playing the part of rioters were told to remove glasses and contact lenses to protect their eyes.

In another test, they were also told to remove metal objects like coins from their clothing to avoid local hot spots developing on their skin.
-snip-
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the last paragraph is most disturbing:

The magazine said a vehicle-mounted version of the weapon named Sheriff was scheduled for service in Iraq in 2006, and that U.S. Marines and police were both working on portable versions.





Sheriff? Sheriff?

[realFedUp]

1. testing out the Israeli made weaponry

kind of ironic in a sick way.

[atreides1]

2. One RPG is all it takes

And then you've got a bunch of twisted metal, fiberglass, and human bodies(crew members).

[JDPriestly]

3. This weapon has no use other than to discourage

people from exercising their rights. There are other ways to control rioters that respect the rights on the nonrioters. This weapon is indiscriminate. It presumably can be used without leaving traces against nonviolent protesters. It's the no traces part that is a problem. You can prove whether rubber bullets or tear gas were used, but how would you prove that this weapon was used. It's your word against the word of the user. This should not be allowed anywhere.