Comin’ to an army ammo dump near you!
British soldiers in Afghanistan are the stunned recipients of a number of brand, shiny new "super weapons" that essentially... well, [you may want to put your fingers in your ears for this] kinda sorta suck the air out of an enemy’s lungs, turn their guts inside out, and then cook 'em from the inside out.
Oh yeah, wait. Silly me; I almost forgot... then they die.
But, that’s not even the worse part. The so-called "super weapon" is also capable of taking out a whole lotta folks with one freakin’ shot! Even the ones [including innocent civilians] scurrying around, hiding in a building. How’s that for good ol’ Western Civilization [war]genuity?
Note: this subject was covered assiduously here, here, here, here and, here back as far as November 2005. But, the last time [as far as I could tell] was in 2006.
I write about these weapons now because apparently - grimly coinciding with elevated civilian deaths in both Iraq and Afghanistan - their use is expanding, despite growing concerns over the legality of such horrific weapons; not to mention the immorality issue regarding the "take-no-prisoners" consequences resulting from the use of these mini-Armageddon-bringers.
The weapon, known as the "Enhanced Blast Munition" is shoulder-launched, and is based on thermobaric technology. The same technology was also used in the powerful bombs dropped in the Chechen capital, Grozny, a few years ago, and is the pièce de résistance to U.S. "bunker buster" bombs.
Ministry of Defence officials insisted that their bombs differ from their American counterparts, saying that it would be slightly misleading to call them "thermobaric bombs" because - although using the same basic technology – their bombs are optimized to create "blast" rather than "heat."
Well, that’s a comfort!
Actually, the so-called thermobaric bombs already have been used by U.S. troops against "suspected al-Qaeda and Taliban underground bases in Afghanistan in the form of bunker busters, and quite possibly in Iraq as well, although, so far, the Pentagon has been silent on the matter of use in Iraq.
This weapon has the potential to kill people over a wide area, and its use ushers in a new macabre era of 21st Century warfare, and in my opinion is in the same realm as the use of nuclear weapons. In fact, back in 2005 when these weapons first appeared on the international scene, the international watchdog organization, Human Rights Watch called using the thermobaric weapons in the theater of war was tantamount to using "low-yield" nuclear weapons.
British defence officials described the new smaller version of the weapon as a shoulder-launched "light anti-structure munition" markedly more effective than conventional weapons such as anti-tank missiles. The latter often miss their targets and even when they do score a bulls-eye the damage is limited to a confined area.
Oh, dammit! No collateral damage! Where's da fun in that? (snark of course)
Thursday’s U.K. Guardian has the [what can only be described by this diarist as frightening] story:
Sir Menzies Campbell, the Liberal Democrat leader, described the weapons as a "serious step change" for the British army. He added: "The continuing issue of civilian casualties in Afghanistan has enormous importance in the battle for hearts and minds. If these weapons contribute to the deaths of civilians then a primary purpose of the British deployment is going to be made yet more difficult."
The deployment of the weapons should have been announced to MPs, Sir Menzies said. "We need much more transparency."
The MoD said in a statement that it was buying "a small number of enhanced blast munitions for use on operations". It added: "These have been procured in full accordance with the UK's obligations under international humanitarian law. It is important to us that our forces can choose from a wide suite of weaponry so they can respond appropriately and proportionately to any threat." The weapons would be used "proportionally under specific rules of engagement", the MoD said.
A "legal review" for the weapon - officially the lightweight anti-structure missile (ASM) - considered issues including whether it was prohibited or restricted under international law, whether it could be used discriminately, and whether it would cause unnecessary suffering.
Hmm, I wonder whether the Pentagon subjected the ASMs to a "legal review" before they incorporated them into the arsenals in Iraq and Afghanistan. Or, did they just run it past Abu Gonzalez for a quick affirmation? If I remember right [and I often do not] it seems to me that when the so-called "bunker buster" bombs were tested in Florida a few years ago, there was no mention of actually "... sucking all the air" out of a target area - thereby, taking no prisoners - whether they wish to surrender or not.
In my humble opinion, these high-tech, low-yield nuclear weapons should be named "thermobarbaric bombs" and they’re use banned internationally forever. No matter how bad "the enemy" is; no matter how ruthless and intolerant they are - our use of such cruel, inhuman horrific weapons makes us no better than they are – and has subsequently stripped the remaining shred of common decency that the sullied image of the United States had managed to hang onto through the Bush era.
Is there a way to turn this apocalyptic juggernaut around before the Bush regime completely destroys the planet? I don’t know the answer to that vexing, existential question. But, I do know we must try.
Indeed, apathy kills.
And, speaking of impeachment, has anyone else had a hard time tracking down their congress critter this month? It seems my Dist. 13 representative is being quite elusive this time around. I found only one event scheduled in my city and when I attended; I didn’t even get a chance to ask poor ol’ Rep. Vern Buchanan a question.
I can’t at all understand why they wouldn’t call on me. I know they saw me, there, standing in the third row wearing my trusty "F*** Bush" t-shirt, frantically waving my hands. I just can’t imagine why they passed me up.
Can you? **hehehe**
Throw da bums out! (including Vern Buchanan)
Peace