U.S. Testing Pain Ray in Afghanistan

[Analog]

The U.S. mission in Afghanistan centers around swaying locals to its side. And there’s no better persuasion tool than an invisible pain ray that makes people feel like they’re on fire.
OK, OK. Maybe that isn’t precisely the logic being employed by those segments of the American military who would like to deploy the Active Denial System to Afghanistan. I’m sure they’re telling themselves that the generally non-lethal microwave weapon is a better, safer crowd control alternative than an M-16. But those ray-gun advocates better think long and hard about the Taliban’s propaganda bonanza when news leaks of the Americans zapping Afghans until they feel roasted alive.
Because, apparently, the Active Denial System is “in Afghanistan for testing.”
An Air Force military officer and a civilian employee at the Air Force Research Laboratory are just two of the people telling Danger Room co-founder Sharon Weinberger that the vehicle-mounted “block 2″ version of the pain ray is in the warzone, but hasn’t been used in combat.
[Update: "We are currently not testing the Active Denial System in Afghanistan," Kelley Hughes, spokesperson for the Joint Non-Lethal Weapons Directorate, tells Danger Room.
So I ask her: Has it been tested previously? She hems and haws. "I'm not gonna get into operational," Hughes answers.
Hughes also disputes the assertion that Active Denial creates a burning feeling. "It's an intolerable heating sensation," she says. "Like opening up an oven door."]
For years, the military insisted that the Active Denial System — known as the “Holy Grail” of crowd control — was oh-so-close to battlefield deployment. But a host of technical issues hampered the ray gun: everything from overheating to poor performance in the rain. Safety concerns lingered; a test subject had to be airlifted to a burn center after being zapped by the weapon. (He eventually made a full recovery.) And then there were concerns about “the atmospherics” — how the locals might react — when they learned that the United States had turned a people-roaster on ‘em. “Not politically tenable,” the Defense Science Board concluded.
I pinged Gen. Stanley McChrystal’s staff about the use of Active Denial in Afghanistan. I’ll let you know if I hear anything back. But a few months ago, a source told me that a representative from the Joint Non-Lethal Weapons Directorate was in Afghanistan. Did that mean Active Denial was about to be put into action? Nope, the source said. “She’s just out getting some atmospherics on the use of non-lethals.”

http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2010/06/u-s-testing-pain-ray-in-afghanistan#ixzz0rK7gGMc9

Instantly turning into a P&N thread, thus moved to P&N. -Admin DrPizza
​

 

[AlienCraft]

Of course we are.

Can't do it in Detroit.

It already hurts to live there. <rim shot>

sorry...bored senseless already and it's not even noon....

 

[dug777]

Let's show these freaks what a bloated, runaway military budget can do!

Sorry, I had the quote on hand from another thread, and if the glove fits...

 

[amdhunter]

Let's show these freaks what a bloated, runaway military budget can do!

Sorry, I had the quote on hand from another thread, and if the glove fits...

Why do you hate America?

 

[ScottSwing]

Why do you hate America?

Freedom.

 

[dug777]

Why does Futurama hate America?

Fixed

 

[Nebor]

Ugh, the locals already think that our surveillance blimps can read their minds.

I thought the "pain ray" was designed for crowd control. There's not really a lot of riots here that need to be disbursed. How about some sort of brain ray? Because the people here are dumb. It's amazing how old their civilization is, and how backward it remains after all this time.

 

[Analog]

Ugh, the locals already think that our surveillance blimps can read their minds.

I thought the &quot;pain ray&quot; was designed for crowd control. There's not really a lot of riots here that need to be disbursed. How about some sort of brain ray? Because the people here are dumb. It's amazing how old their civilization is, and how backward it remains after all this time.

What do you mean by dumb? Illiterate? Or not able to do certain tasks?

 

[Nebor]

They are just not a very bright people in aggregate. The way they attempt to solve problems, the way they drive (more Afghan soldiers are killed in vehicle accidents than in combat,) the way they do business, etc.

And they are largely illiterate. This isn't Iraq, we're trying to build this place up from nothing, and their culture simply doesn't support modern mechanisms like freedom, honesty, democracy, hard work, etc. We need to spend a generation working on the kids, teaching them western ways in schools with no religious influence in order to build a cultural baseline. Then we can start building more complex things, like a functioning legal system, traffic system, democratic government, police force, etc.

Do you know how most crimes are solved in Afghanistan? Confession. Do you know how they get those confessions? They beat the fuck out of the "suspect" until he confesses. Or they just lie and say he confessed. If people get in a car accident and get out of their cars to argue, the police are usually there quickly to resolve the incident... by beating the fuck out of the drivers until they get in their cars and leave (this is actually sort of funny to watch.) Thursday I watched two Afghans talking for a few moments, then one walks away, about 20 feet, to where a puppy is sleeping on the ground, up against a concrete barrier. His first kick catches it off guard, it starts to yelp and scream, but he just keeps kicking it, and it's bouncing between the concrete barrier and his foot for about 20 seconds. We were pretty rapidly closing the distance, and the soldier I was with was screaming at the Afghan. I calmed him down, and asked the Afghan in Dari why he was kicking the dog. He essentially replied, "why not?"

I've had to shoot dogs that the ANA intentionally hit with their trucks (swerving off the road to do so) and left broken and yelping. I've seen ANA soldiers cut the ears off dogs to make them "better fighting dogs." I've seen ANA soldiers buttstroke children with an AK47 so they could steal their brass (from a shooting range.)

In so, so many ways, this country is fucked. Hook the pain ray up to a satellite, set it to "popcorn" and point it at Afghanistan.

 

[JSt0rm]

Let's show these freaks what a bloated, runaway military budget can do!

lmao thats great

 

[AndroidVageta]

They are just not a very bright people in aggregate. The way they attempt to solve problems, the way they drive (more Afghan soldiers are killed in vehicle accidents than in combat,) the way they do business, etc.

And they are largely illiterate. This isn't Iraq, we're trying to build this place up from nothing, and their culture simply doesn't support modern mechanisms like freedom, honesty, democracy, hard work, etc. We need to spend a generation working on the kids, teaching them western ways in schools with no religious influence in order to build a cultural baseline. Then we can start building more complex things, like a functioning legal system, traffic system, democratic government, police force, etc.

Do you know how most crimes are solved in Afghanistan? Confession. Do you know how they get those confessions? They beat the fuck out of the "suspect" until he confesses. Or they just lie and say he confessed. If people get in a car accident and get out of their cars to argue, the police are usually there quickly to resolve the incident... by beating the fuck out of the drivers until they get in their cars and leave (this is actually sort of funny to watch.) Thursday I watched two Afghans talking for a few moments, then one walks away, about 20 feet, to where a puppy is sleeping on the ground, up against a concrete barrier. His first kick catches it off guard, it starts to yelp and scream, but he just keeps kicking it, and it's bouncing between the concrete barrier and his foot for about 20 seconds. We were pretty rapidly closing the distance, and the soldier I was with was screaming at the Afghan. I calmed him down, and asked the Afghan in Dari why he was kicking the dog. He essentially replied, "why not?"

I've had to shoot dogs that the ANA intentionally hit with their trucks (swerving off the road to do so) and left broken and yelping. I've seen ANA soldiers cut the ears off dogs to make them "better fighting dogs." I've seen ANA soldiers buttstroke children with an AK47 so they could steal their brass (from a shooting range.)

In so, so many ways, this country is fucked. Hook the pain ray up to a satellite, set it to "popcorn" and point it at Afghanistan.

Nuke. Problem solved.

 

[ebaycj]

Nuke. Problem solved.

"Popcorn" setting wouldn't leave so much fallout.

 

[AndroidVageta]

Hydrogen bomb then?

 

[techs]

Well, since a trillion dollars of mineral wealth was just discovered in Afghanistan it is now cost effective to use our expensive weapons.

 

[DangerAardvark]

I'll opt for the pain ray when the alternative is the bullet ray.

 

[Analog]

They are just not a very bright people in aggregate. The way they attempt to solve problems, the way they drive (more Afghan soldiers are killed in vehicle accidents than in combat,) the way they do business, etc.

And they are largely illiterate. This isn't Iraq, we're trying to build this place up from nothing, and their culture simply doesn't support modern mechanisms like freedom, honesty, democracy, hard work, etc. We need to spend a generation working on the kids, teaching them western ways in schools with no religious influence in order to build a cultural baseline. Then we can start building more complex things, like a functioning legal system, traffic system, democratic government, police force, etc.

Do you know how most crimes are solved in Afghanistan? Confession. Do you know how they get those confessions? They beat the fuck out of the &quot;suspect&quot; until he confesses. Or they just lie and say he confessed. If people get in a car accident and get out of their cars to argue, the police are usually there quickly to resolve the incident... by beating the fuck out of the drivers until they get in their cars and leave (this is actually sort of funny to watch.) Thursday I watched two Afghans talking for a few moments, then one walks away, about 20 feet, to where a puppy is sleeping on the ground, up against a concrete barrier. His first kick catches it off guard, it starts to yelp and scream, but he just keeps kicking it, and it's bouncing between the concrete barrier and his foot for about 20 seconds. We were pretty rapidly closing the distance, and the soldier I was with was screaming at the Afghan. I calmed him down, and asked the Afghan in Dari why he was kicking the dog. He essentially replied, &quot;why not?&quot;

I've had to shoot dogs that the ANA intentionally hit with their trucks (swerving off the road to do so) and left broken and yelping. I've seen ANA soldiers cut the ears off dogs to make them &quot;better fighting dogs.&quot; I've seen ANA soldiers buttstroke children with an AK47 so they could steal their brass (from a shooting range.)

In so, so many ways, this country is fucked. Hook the pain ray up to a satellite, set it to &quot;popcorn&quot; and point it at Afghanistan.

wow, didn't realize it was that bad.

 

[Arkaign]

Hah, I'm tired and Palin was just on TV babbling about something, so I read the title as :

U.S Testing Palin Ray in Afghanistan

Gives some interesting visuals to be sure

 

[AndroidVageta]

Well, since a trillion dollars of mineral wealth was just discovered in Afghanistan it is now cost effective to use our expensive weapons.

Ive never understood this...arent we over there supposed to be "fighting the war on terror" (whatever the hell that is)...how in the hell do we have the time/resources to find trillion dollar mineral deposit? Its not like a soldier tripped on a rock and said "hum, theres a shit load of valuable minerals here"...This just proves my point time and time again that we went over there for a million other reasons than just finding terrorists...

 

[zinfamous]

They are just not a very bright people in aggregate. The way they attempt to solve problems, the way they drive (more Afghan soldiers are killed in vehicle accidents than in combat,) the way they do business, etc.

And they are largely illiterate. This isn't Iraq, we're trying to build this place up from nothing, and their culture simply doesn't support modern mechanisms like freedom, honesty, democracy, hard work, etc. We need to spend a generation working on the kids, teaching them western ways in schools with no religious influence in order to build a cultural baseline. Then we can start building more complex things, like a functioning legal system, traffic system, democratic government, police force, etc.

Do you know how most crimes are solved in Afghanistan? Confession. Do you know how they get those confessions? They beat the fuck out of the "suspect" until he confesses. Or they just lie and say he confessed. If people get in a car accident and get out of their cars to argue, the police are usually there quickly to resolve the incident... by beating the fuck out of the drivers until they get in their cars and leave (this is actually sort of funny to watch.) Thursday I watched two Afghans talking for a few moments, then one walks away, about 20 feet, to where a puppy is sleeping on the ground, up against a concrete barrier. His first kick catches it off guard, it starts to yelp and scream, but he just keeps kicking it, and it's bouncing between the concrete barrier and his foot for about 20 seconds. We were pretty rapidly closing the distance, and the soldier I was with was screaming at the Afghan. I calmed him down, and asked the Afghan in Dari why he was kicking the dog. He essentially replied, "why not?"

I've had to shoot dogs that the ANA intentionally hit with their trucks (swerving off the road to do so) and left broken and yelping. I've seen ANA soldiers cut the ears off dogs to make them "better fighting dogs." I've seen ANA soldiers buttstroke children with an AK47 so they could steal their brass (from a shooting range.)

In so, so many ways, this country is fucked. Hook the pain ray up to a satellite, set it to "popcorn" and point it at Afghanistan.

Afghanistan is currently the runaway champion for most corrupt nation on the planet, iirc. I pretty much agree with what you're arguing here, but I would caution that you replace "stupid" with "ignorant," b/c that's essentially what you're arguing in terms of lack of resources over generations and generations.

That, and the runaway corruption, is hornets nest of devilry. Throw in the recent report estimating a newly-confirmed ~$1 trillion dollars in exploitable resources, Afghanistan becomes a very, very risky place.

I think you are absolutely correct about establishing that foundation of a young, educated work force and political will that takes pride in the success of its country, rather than the success of its particular tribe or sect.

The effects of extreme corruption on nations with such exploitable resources can be horrible. see: Congo, Sierra Leon...not to mention the theocratic, oppressive regimes that manage to form relatively functioning economies around their tenuous oil deposits.

Afghanistan will never recover, I believe, until Karzai and his cronies are replaced.

 

[Nebor]

Karzai's chosen few will steal everything to do with those minerals. The people of Afghanistan will see little to no benefit.

 

[dmcowen674]

Of course we are.

Can't do it in Detroit.

Obama should use it on the southern States

 

[Jaskalas]

Obama should use it on the southern States

He already prevented a timely response to the oil spill, thanks.

 

[Harabec]

Cool. I heard about it a long time ago, nice to see it is advancing.

 

[Craig234]

Thank goodness the unlimited development of new weapons can not ever be used against citizens - including Americans - by corrupt power.

 

[Craig234]

Obama should use it on the southern States

This reminds me of a funny story under JFK.

Bobby Kennedy had just been dealing with the crazy and dishonest segregationist southern governors, pandering to racists, when the Cuban Missile Crisis hit.

As they were looking in secret at the missiles in Cuba, and determining where they could reach in the US, Bobby Kennedy asked 'can they hit Biloxi, Mississippi?'