Non-Lethal Weapons Proliferation

In my earlier post, where I expressed my concern about the potential future common uses of "non-lethal" weapons systems against ordinary civilians, I mentioned the relationship between the military and academia. Well, today, I come across a New Scientist article which reveals yet another academic institution with a project related to non-lethal weapons. So, how many are involved in this type of research? Here are a few results from a quick search:

• Bradford Non-Lethal Weapons Research Project (University of Bradford)


• Institute for NonLethal Defense Technologies (Pennsylvania State University)
• 
  
• Non Lethal Technology Innovation Center (University of New Hampshire)

For a compilation of Internet resources, books, documents, and periodicals, go to this page located at Maxwell-Gunter Air Force Base web site, "Home of Air University and the 42nd Air Base Wing". There are links to all sorts of useful information:

• Active Denial Technology (Air Force Research Laboratory)


• Active Denial System (Sandia National Laboratories)


• Directed Energy Weapons (Defense Update Online Magazine)

From the amount of work and interest which has existed in the non-lethal weapons technologies, coupled with the fact we are beginning to see news of their use in non-military activities, leads me to believe that not only will the use of these technologies against civilian populations become more prevalent, but, also, that there exist more advanced weaponry which has yet to make it to the public media.

Electromagnetic Pulse weapons are old news:

Earlier this month, the widely respected magazine Aviation Week & Space Technology printed an article stating that "an attack on Iraq is expected to see the first use of high-power microwave weapons..."

The New York Post, citing unnamed U.S. military officials, reported yesterday that a preliminary Iraq battle plan "outlined for President Bush last week calls for the most extensive use of electronic and psychological warfare in history -- including secret new electromagnetic pulse weapons to disable Saddam (Hussein)'s entire command and control structure."

Source: Seattle Post-Intelligencer

So what IS new???

How about Ethnic-Specific weapons? How about a genetically-engineered version of the Spanish Flu?

Nothing surprises me anymore...

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