US bucks pledge, continues to pursue new landmines

[Veronica.Franco]

US bucks pledge, continues to pursue new landmines

Christian Avard

snip ...

According to the International Campaign to Ban Landmines, budget documents submitted to Congress in 2005 show that the Pentagon is preparing for the development of new types of antipersonnel landmines called "Spider."

The flip of a switch

Spider landmines differ from conventional mines because they are designed to detonate in a variety of ways. Spider mines can explode either through command-detonation--where a human operator determines when the mine will explode the mine (also know as a “man in the loop” system)--or through conventional victim-activation, where a victim detonates the weapon by stepping on or picking up the mine. An operator would have the ability to turn the switch one way for command-detonation, and the other way for victim-detonation.

With the flip of a switch, Spider would become a conventional victim-activated antipersonnel mine that cannot tell the difference between the boot of a solider and the foot of a child.

According to the group Human Rights Watch, landmines kill or wound an estimated 26,000 people a year, most of them civilians. The organization also estimates over 100 million mines already buried worldwide.

http://www.rawstory.com/news/2006/US_bucks_pledge_continues_to_pursue_0619.html

Bush insanity continues unabated ...

[AnOhioan]

1. Bush war crimes continue unabated n/t

[htuttle]

2. ...because we JUST didn't have enough ways to kill people yet

Plus, there still appears to be money left to be spent.

[saigon68]

3. The Bush Criminals will kill, if there is money to be made

[Veronica.Franco]

4. The Riddle ...

The Riddle (You and I)

~ Five For Fighting

There was a man back in '95
Whose heart ran out of summers
But before he died, I asked him

Wait, what's the sense in life
Come over me, Come over me

He said,

"Son why you got to sing that tune
Catch a Dylan song or some eclipse of the moon
Let an angel swing and make you swoon
Then you will see... You will see."

Then he said,

"Here's a riddle for you
Find the Answer
There's a reason for the world
You and I..."

Picked up my kid from school today
Did you learn anything cause in the world today
You can't live in a castle far away
Now talk to me, come talk to me

He said,

"Dad I'm big but we're smaller than small
In the scheme of things, well we're nothing at all
Still every mother's child sings a lonely song
So play with me, come play with me"

And Hey Dad
Here's a riddle for you
Find the Answer
There's a reason for the world
You and I...

I said,

"Son for all I've told you
When you get right down to the
Reason for the world...
Who am I?"

There are secrets that we still have left to find
There have been mysteries from the beginning of time
There are answers we're not wise enough to see

He said... You looking for a clue I Love You free...

The batter swings and the summer flies
As I look into my angel's eyes
A song plays on while the moon is hiding over me
Something comes over me

I guess we're big and I guess we're small
If you think about it man you know we got it all
Cause we're all we got on this bouncing ball
And I love you free
I love you freely

Here's a riddle for you
Find the Answer
There's a reason for the world
You and I...

[Moderator]

5. locking

Article dated yesterday and it's analysis not breaking news.