Army Wants Howitzers Back From Ski Areas

[cjbuchanan]

RENO, Nev. - The U.S. military is demanding the return of five howitzers that two Sierra Nevada ski resorts use to prevent avalanches, saying it needs the guns for the fighting in Iraq (news - web sites) and Afghanistan (news - web sites).

Alpine Meadows and Mammoth Mountain received the artillery pieces on loan from the Army and began using them last year to fire rounds into mountainsides and knock snow loose.

But the ski resorts received word earlier this month that the Army's Tank Automotive and Armaments Command at the Rock Island Arsenal in Illinois needs the howitzers back immediately.

More at: http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&u=/ap/ski_resorts_howitzers

Does it worry you as much as it worries me that the military is this concerned over five howitzers? I mean, it's hard to say things are not really bad in Iraq (and will be that way for a long time) if they need every single howitzer to go there. Add that to the troop pull out from the Korean DMZ and it all adds up to BAD STUFF IN IRAQ.

DMZ story: http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20040427/ap_on_re_as/koreas_dmz_pullout_3

[WillyT]

1. Holy Fuck !!! --- Look Out Boys And Girls... DRAFT COMING !!!

I had no idea it has become THIS bad!

:wtf::wtf::wtf::wtf::wtf::wtf:

[Safi]

2. I'd bet it has more to do with stockpiling for Iran or Syria.

but they are saying its for Iraq.

[supernova]

3. I didn't know ski resorts used Howitzers!

:wtf:

Well, it means that the Iraqis are doing what guerillas do best: get the dominant power to squander their treasure and manpower.

[ashling]

11. I didn't know there were any ski resorts in Iraq

[MissMarple]

4. Howitzers aren't the only thing, sheet metal sits in US without transport

to Iraq. They need to retrofit the vehicles they send soldiers around in. This is on Lou Dobbs today. (4pm mountain time)

[rockymountaindem]

5. This sounds strange to me.

The only avalanche blasting guns I've seen are air cannons. I don't think they use howitzers for this purpose because the sound of the gun firing could trigger avalanches in unintended places. Perhaps they need the air cannons for something else, but this sounds like a wierd story to me.

[Feanorcurufinwe]

6. It is a myth

that sound can trigger avalanches.

[rockymountaindem]

9. Ok.

I just assumed that was why they use air cannons. But that still doesn't account for the fact that I've watched lots of shows on avalanche control (they have those on a lot in Colorado) and all I've seen are air cannons.

[Feanorcurufinwe]

13. Actually Alpine Meadows used to use both.

The air cannons are easier to deal with, less dangerous... I don't remember what the advantage is to using the howitzers... when I was taking an avalanche safety course some years back we toured Alpine's avalanche facilities and they had stopped using the howitzers at that point...

[ConcernedCanuk]

12. Being a google-freak - I had to check

.
.
.


and you are absolutely right,

the "sound" thing is a myth

Interesting site on info for avalanches





http://www.avalanche.org/~uac/Common-questions.html
.
.

[Sequoia]

7. First it was the Battle of the Little Bighorn rerun now it's

the first Battle at Wounded Knee when the army used those howitzers on Big Foot and his people as they were coming in from the cold. It was the Christmas holiday. Some things, sadly, never change except the name of those who dare rise up against the frigging US Army. The army will set up those killing machines and mow down women, children, and old men who are coming in from the heat.

[ConcernedCanuk]

8. It's got nothing to do with need - or the cost to replace them

.
.
.

Imagine if a terrorist got ahold of them?




Expect the collection of any other possible weapons that collectors may have

Our neighbours are living under a new reichmeister.

More to come . . .

[hunter]

10. No, the peasants can't be trusted with these...

Let them defend their Constitution with torches and pitchforks!