Air Force Secretary: Test new weapons on U.S. crowds first!

[David Farber <dave () farber net>]

Begin forwarded message:

From: Lauren Weinstein <lauren () vortex com>
Date: September 13, 2006 9:48:56 AM JST
To: dave () farber net
Cc: lauren () vortex com
Subject: Air Force Secretary: Test new weapons on U.S. crowds first!


Dave,

I had to read this piece:

http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/09/12/usaf.weapons.ap/index.html

a couple of times to make sure that I understood it properly -- I kept
hoping that I was getting it wrong.

But no, it means what it says.  Our own Secretary of the Air Force
is concerned that new "non-lethal" weapons systems might injure
foreigners on the battlefield, with devastating negative PR as a
result.  His suggested solution?  Test the stuff on U.S. citizens
first!  You know the type -- unruly crowds, protesters, perhaps folks
trying to crash large Bush rallies (are there still large Bush
rallies?)

In any case, I suppose that the Air Force chief's theory is that it
would be so difficult for U.S. citizens to successfully sue the
government if their brains, eyes, or gonads are fried by the latest
microwave weapon, that our own populations are a less risky target --
rather than tempting global condemnation if something goes wrong
outside the country.  You know how distracting global condemnation
can be.

I'm all for appropriate and complete empirical testing of novel
systems that are being pushed into deployment -- be they computers,
non-lethal weapons, or the "alternative" interrogation techniques
that we're told render the Geneva Conventions obsolete.  But perhaps
a rule when it comes to the latter two categories should be that
those persons who propose these so-called "safe" technologies and
techniques should be willing to test them on themselves first,
before placing other citizens into the crosshairs.

As for the Secretary of the Air Force -- Rumsfeld must love this guy.

--Lauren--
Lauren Weinstein
lauren () vortex com or lauren () pfir org
Tel: +1 (818) 225-2800
http://www.pfir.org/lauren
Co-Founder, PFIR
   - People For Internet Responsibility - http://www.pfir.org
Co-Founder, IOIC
   - International Open Internet Coalition - http://www.ioic.net
Moderator, PRIVACY Forum - http://www.vortex.com
Member, ACM Committee on Computers and Public Policy
Lauren's Blog: http://lauren.vortex.com
DayThink: http://daythink.vortex.com




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