Friday, March 29, 2013

Latest Non-Lethal Weapons Arsenal ... That Can Kill

Dees Illustration

Nicholas West

http://www.activistpost.com/2013/03/latest-non-lethal-weapons-arsen...

A lot of attention has been paid recently to the massive buildup of lethal weapons purchased by DHS and the ongoing government secrecy about the stockpile. When combined with the increasing rhetoric against anyone professing a love of independence, there is rightful concern that this weapons hoard will be turned inward upon the American "Patriot."

Many argue that, in the end, most military and police will not wage war on their own, even despite overwhelming evidence that they are training for such a scenario, i.e. using "no more hesitation" pictures of elderly men, pregnant women and even children as target practice. Add to that the recent letter issued from a retired U.S. Army Captain that, yes, DHS is prepping for war on Americans, and only cognitive dissonance remains for not answering the wake-up call.

The transfer of weapons of war such as drones from foreign to domestic use should be seen as a natural expansion of any imperial government that is actively taking steps to desensitize military, police, and the domestic public to crossing paths in a very hostile manner. Combine this with a battle over gun rights and we see a public being disarmed, while the central government is hoarding ammunition at the highest levels. Now it is being reported that local police are actually experiencing a shortage of ammunition as a consequence of gun owners and DHS rushing to prepare for something neither can define, but both can feel is imminent.

So-called "non-lethal" weapons have almost been forgotten about in the wake of the far worse possibilities presented by weaponized drones and civil war. These non-lethal weapons have a history dating back to 1930s Germany, which has now extended into nearly all democratic countries as a means of intimidating protesters, culminating with the widespread acceptance of pepper spray - a chemical weapon that is stated as such by the founder of the product. (Source)

The Taser - or stun gun - is another item in the non-lethal arsenal that is all but ubiquitous, but has come under intense scrutiny by researchers for its lethal results. Electrophysiologist, Dr. Douglas Zipes, published an article for the The American Heart Association which covered 8 cases where a 50,000 volt Electronic Control Device (TASER X26) was used and victims lost consciousness. His conclusion is that this non-lethal weapon can induce cardiac arrest.

But the above seem tame by comparison to new developments such as the microwave cannon crowd dispersal weapon which is euphemistically called an "Active Denial System."

The vehicle-mounted cannon combined with the power of electromagnetic radiation blasts a beam of heat that makes the target feel an intense waft of heat comparable to quickly opening an extremely hot oven, except reportedly with more pain. Unable to withstand the intensity and quickness of the heat, the beam makes people automatically run or jump out of the way. (Source)

Pesky protesters insurgents have much more that they can look forward to when they exit their homes to make their voices heard among the din of LRAD weapons "effective long range communications system used to clearly broadca... Though it would seem difficult to hear subsequent "critical information" with permanent hearing loss.

Could it be that the local police, inadequately armed with conventional weapons, will be offered a solution with non-lethal tech . . . especially as they are increasingly outmatched by a gun-toting public?

A new Extraordinary Technology report of the latest non-lethal less lethal, but potential kill tech shows the following trends in the growing sector of "crowd control" amid nearly global civil unrest. Of particular note is the flexibility to apply these devices to either disperse the unruly, or offensively use them in a full-out war setting. It is the type of flexibility that has made the drone market so lucrative; everything from surveillance, to terrain mapping . . . and remote-controlled death if need be. As the report states quite correctly:

First, when looking into NLWs, it might seem logical to divide them into civilian and military, but for all practical purposes there is so much overlap that the distinction barely exists. In fact, some weapons that have been banned from the battlefield are approved for law enforcement, as we shall see. And in modern-day, nonconventional warfare, soldiers are increasingly called upon to perform police duties. So there’s little point in separating the two.

And I would add that police are increasingly called upon to perform soldier duties. The militarization of police is undeniable and all but guaranteed to usher in what is highlighted in this trends report of next-gen non-lethal tech:

• Pulsed Energy Projectile --  Supposedly "under development" by the military. From the report: "It involves a weapon emitting an invisible laser pulse that, upon contact with the target, ablates the surface material and creates a bit of exploding plasma on the skin. This produces a pressure wave that stuns the target, knocking him down, as well as electromagnetic radiation that irritates nerve cells, causing pain." This is a more directed,  enhanced version of the Active Denial System noted above. 
• Sticky Foam -- Used in Somalia, possibility of suffocation if hit in the face.
• The Stingball Grenade -- Propels a cache of 100 tiny rubber balls in a circular pattern. The Modular Crowd Control Munition (MCCM) is the Stingball’s tightly directed big brother. It’s constructed like a Claymore mine but with 600 rubber balls inside that are sprayed out in a 45-degree arc. Even standard rubber bullets and "firearm rounds" have caused death. 
• Underwater Pulsed Sound Wave -- Under development by the Navy to deter SCUBA attacks within 150 meters.
• Next-Gen Microwave Ray Gun -- Called MEDUSA (Mob Excess Deterrent Using Silent Audio). The device being built by Sierra Nevada Corp. fires short microwave pulses that penetrate the head and rapidly heat tissue, resulting in a shockwave inside the skull.

Naturally, much more is probably in development that we won't know about until it is fully operational or "just around the corner." For the full report on what is projected CLICK HERE.

One of the most dangerous aspects of non-lethal weapons is that they are far more indiscriminate than conventional weapons; many can be fired at a distance (think drones) creating a far greater risk of abuse. Additionally, these are high-tech (expensive) weapons that have no parallel among what is available to the public subjected to them.