Air Force Chief, M.B.A., and Apparent Idiot. Another Fine Bush Appointee.
Air Force chief: Test weapons on Americans — When I first read this I was thinking, “No,this has to be from the Onion, right? What asshole would even suggest something like this? Surely nobody in a position of responsibility.”
What an incredible disrespect these people have for the American public. This guy should be fired immediately.
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.
What kind of logic is this??
I volunteer him to be the first test subject. Until that happens, you’re right; he has no business being in charge of anything.
“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.
Jesus friggin’ Christ. Are you sure this did not originate with the Onion?
In other news, hundreds of telemarketers invited to Washington as guests of US armed services. The event is presumably to discuss recruiting initiatives, though Air Force officials are oddly mum on the details.
Ditto, #1.
This guy is a such a quack. I say they make him the first subject for the lethal version. What an ass.
I think you’re misinterpreting his comments, John. He’s merely making the very valid point that we should not be using weapons on the battlefield that we would deem unacceptable for use against U.S. citizens. We should have the same standard for foreign citizens as we have for our own — A noble stand on human rights during warfare.
America has to stop producing weapons and begin making something useful for make people live not die. While japan produces robots for fun and for improving life, america produces robots for war. Even robotical enthusiasts build robots with saws and hammers to destroy other robots… amazing. Is there any way to change that mentality in short term? when we will think in peaceful terms?
At some point we we have to live in mars as the whole planet will be hating us, as they do now.
Yes, if we are going to use supposedly non-lethal weapons in the battlefield against our “blind with bloodlust” enemies, let’s first try them on average American citizens to see if anyone accidentally dies. After all, it would be unconscienceable to accidentally kill some Iraqi car bomber without first testing it on pregnant women and the elderly. The French would never let us hear the end of it.
But honestly, would any one miss a few rioting American basketball fans it it turned out to be “only slightly” lethal?
Now I’m drunk and talking on a national forum! Make that an international forum.
Of course we should test our “NON LETHAL” weapons on non Americans. They can’t sue us!!!
We will simply test the “LETHAL” weapons on Americans as the test subjects will not be able to sue us afterwards.
Hmmmm, unless the test subject in a “LETHAL” weapons test survives. Then we can sue somebody for NEGLIGENCE!
I’m going to bed.
Don
I agree with David #5… Looks like everyone else seems to think that citizens of other countries are somehow disposible guinea pigs. It’s not okay to test products on rabbits or kittens, but it’s okay to do whatever you want it other countries?
This is crowd control measures, not blowing up and killing people (big difference if you haven’t noticed).
Heck, if I said, I have a non-lethal nuke that will just melt the skin off but leave a person alive… it’s great for crowd control. Can I test it on US Citizens? I’d bet it wouldn’t be allowed.
Why should any other untested (or worse outlawed) scientific solution be treated different? Besides, the US doesn’t decide what’s acceptable force in the rest of the world. It’s the body of the globe that decides that.
Glad to see someone in command knows the international laws. He should teach a class.
BTW, why the hell is an Air Force commander being asked about crowd control? I’m surprised his response wasn’t “we already have crowd control, they’re called hell-fires.”
Reminds me of a cartoon. Very old Native American and his son standing on mountaintop. Old guy says: “Someday, my son, white men all go to moon and this land be ours again….” Hm….
What bothers me here is the idea that we have to be very careful of the “sensibilities” of our enemies or their “friends”…. IOW, if we are being shot at from a mosque, we have to walk away. Nonsense…. Level the place…. “They” can do anything, and we have to beg their permission to defend ourselves…. Or beg the French….
Right up there with strip-searching Jewish grandmothers at airports while obviously young Arab males are ignored….
Keep this up and we’re going to lose. Start to enjoy wearing black and being beheaded for not showing up at the mosque for prayer…. Or just beheaded if you’re Jewish….
Many militaries including the U.S. tested weapons of all varieties on their own citizens and military personnel. I am sure everyone remembers the atomic tests performed with soldiers in the blast area. The tests using LSD on soldiers. There were testing the effects of std’s (Gonorrhoea I believe) on people to be used as a type of germ warfare. As far as “non-leathal” weapons go I believe many of you are aware of police use of tasers. There have been many deaths involved with the use of these weapons. The facts are not out on the many “non-leathal” weapons in use today. They are obviously less lethal than firearms, but the usage of them needs to be studied to ensure they are in fact meeting the role they are intended to fill.
Re posts #5 and #9 I do see what you are saying in regards to the use of having the same standard for domestic and foriegn people. The problem is that as I at first pointed out countries have done horrendous things to their own citizens and so the bar can be raised and lowered to justify the mood of the time. I believe either Vice-President Cheney or Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld work at a standing desk for over 8 hours a day and so when they found prisoners where being made to stand for hours on end they pointed to the fact they do so by choice all the time. What is acceptable to some is unacceptable to many and when you are told you cannot do it to foreigners unless you do it to your own citizens then they will simply do so. There are no guarantees that if or when people find out they will rise up in protest.
John
AP-Washington-quoting 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.”
Does this mean in a “wartime situation” we should be using only weapons that we would use against our fellow citizens? What is going to result in our being vilified in the world press is letting people like this speak for America. After making these statements, this guy worrying about being vilified, is like Paris Hilton expressing concern that her lipstick was a little smudged in her “homemade” video.
It’s like all the video we’ve seen when cops demo Tasers against cops before using them against the bad guys. Superficially, that sounds even more insane.
Or we could just go back to guns to make everyone happy again.
RBG
Yes, and by this logic we should test the killing power of our weaponry on the populace. Oh, and let’s cluster bomb Pittsburgh while we are at it. And nuke North Dakota. Makes sense.
{sarcasm}
Gee.. at least we wouldn’t be violating the Geneva Conventions, those ‘quaint’ and ‘obsolete’ rules.
{/sarcasm}
J/P=?
14: Mr Dvorak, you’re going overboard. He said “non-lethal weapons”.
“What an incredible disrespect these people have for the American public.”
Actually, he’s demonstrating respect for the non-American public. Wake up.
I’m for it, as long as I get to pick which politicians we test them on. 😉
Let’s test these weapons on th ’08 Republican National Convention.
Now THAT’S an idea that makes sense! They’ll learn first hand if they are getting their money’s worth from the military industrial compex they’re so enthusiastic about.
Another awesome Bush appointee. What a schmuck.
The country is being run by sadistic, power-hungry, unintelligent men. The reason? Because half of our population are hungry for a saviour and the Republican party catered to their needs. The Democrats were ousted because of sex in the Oval Office and prudish religious voters who have sex with sheep and their sisters when no one is looking.
The basic flaw in this guy’s logic is that he is equating combat (warfare) with crowd control (law enforcement). These are two very different activities requiring different tools.
On the other hand, he is not the only one who is confused about this. Ever since 9/11, we’ve been vacillating on whether to treat this as a war or a law enforcement task.
And in response to #6: Has it occured to you that Japan has the luxury of producing “robots for fun” because the US has quaranteed her security? You can get a lot done when a superpower has taken over responsiblity for your defense and thus allowed you to focus on other things.
The truth is they don’t know what the outcome from exposure to this device will be.
Hey! Herpes is non lethal. Lets test that as a non lethal biological weapon. Anyone who is in support of testing non lethal weapons on American citizens want to step up for that testing? DUMBASS!
@16 non-lethal weapons
So a land mine that is designed to JUST blow off a foot is OK for testing?
Thanks John for your overboardness
I think a lot of people would be in favor if they get to choose who to test it on.
So let’s go with the “sensible” JCD argument instead:
If any lethal or non-lethal weapon has been used or considered for use outside the US, it shall be illegal to use inside the US.
Oh, and let’s ban custer pies in Pittsburgh while we are at it.
RBG
Lets see, crowd control, animal control, potatoe, potato. We just cattle to this asinine admin.
Let’s just call the voting off ?
RBG
We still have over two more years of this crap to get through. Well, if the Democrats take the House we can at least look forward to impeachment proceedings.
Another part of the “war on terror” which has a strong domestic control side. How much of this “security apparatus” is actually directed at the American people? Can you trust “leaders” who insist that disagreement is a form of treason? I think not.The world has been down that path before, and it always ends badly.
JPH
I guess im the only one that thinks its a good idea 😉
USA should test its weapons on its own citezens before they use them on other countries.
Start in kansas or utah maybe 🙂