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Edited by Mrph1 on Nov 30th 2023 at 11:03:59 AM

Memers Since: Aug, 2013
#102001: Sep 26th 2015 at 3:29:51 PM

Up to date radar systems, ground based detection systems, personal armor, non-lethal weaponry, interference systems etc could be greatly improved from my understanding.

A lot of gear is vintage 70s / 80s surplus stuff from the looks of me googling around.

edited 26th Sep '15 3:31:48 PM by Memers

Rationalinsanity from Halifax, Canada Since: Aug, 2010 Relationship Status: It's complicated
#102002: Sep 26th 2015 at 3:31:26 PM

Lethal force is perfectly acceptable if someone is shooting at you/the people you there to supposedly protect.

[down]This.

edited 26th Sep '15 3:34:29 PM by Rationalinsanity

Politics is the skilled use of blunt objects.
Silasw A procrastination in of itself from A handcart to hell (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: And they all lived happily ever after <3
A procrastination in of itself
#102003: Sep 26th 2015 at 3:33:43 PM

If we're sending international peackeepers into a situation then generally something has gone wrong, that's why we're sending them in. The peacekeepers being unable to prevent people from killing other people rather undermines their ability to do their job.

“And the Bunny nails it!” ~ Gabrael “If the UN can get through a day without everyone strangling everyone else so can we.” ~ Cyran
Memers Since: Aug, 2013
#102004: Sep 26th 2015 at 3:36:00 PM

[up][up] Many times you are getting shot at by the people you are trying to protect simply because you are in the middle of a war zone trying to protect both sides.

A lot about Peacekeeping is to interfere with everyone's ability to organize and their ability to make war, jamming and or monitoring communications and such is a must and hopelessly out of date.

edited 26th Sep '15 3:37:09 PM by Memers

NativeJovian Jupiterian Local from Orlando, FL Since: Mar, 2014 Relationship Status: Maxing my social links
Jupiterian Local
#102005: Sep 26th 2015 at 3:39:39 PM

The president has indicated that he will bolster the US contribution, however, and put the United States' "unrivalled set of airlift capabilities." on the table for rapid response military and humanitarian use.
It's worth pointing out that this is actually a rather big deal. What makes America a world power (as opposed to regional powers like China and Russia) is our capacity for force projection. In eli5 terms, that means we can get our shit (that is, everything from soldiers and supplies to ships, tanks, aircraft, fuel, etc) basically fucking anywhere on the planet in fairly short order — and continue to support and supply them while they're there, pretty much indefinitely. No one else can do that — at least, not to anything remotely like the degree that we can. Offering a portion of that capacity to the UN is something that the US is uniquely situated to do, because no one else has the capacity we do, so no one else can afford to offer the UN an amount of capacity to make a difference in the sort of missions that the UN needs to do.

Really from Jupiter, but not an alien.
Deadbeatloser22 from Disappeared by Space Magic (Great Old One) Relationship Status: Tsundere'ing
#102006: Sep 26th 2015 at 3:42:05 PM

Well excuse me for still believing that it's possible to defuse a situation without resorting to violence.

"Yup. That tasted purple."
JackOLantern1337 Shameful Display from The Most Miserable Province in the Russian Empir Since: Aug, 2014 Relationship Status: 700 wives and 300 concubines
Shameful Display
#102007: Sep 26th 2015 at 3:44:23 PM

[up][up] Of course that's the part we are contracting out to corporations so...sad

I Bring Doom,and a bit of gloom, but mostly gloom.
Silasw A procrastination in of itself from A handcart to hell (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: And they all lived happily ever after <3
A procrastination in of itself
#102008: Sep 26th 2015 at 3:44:49 PM

[up][up] It depends on the situation, if it's 5 guys stealing the food aid that just got handed out it's rather hard to defuse it peacefully, especially if the thieves know that you aren't allowed to hurt them.

On a level part of avoiding a situation getting violent is the fact that it can, it's a lot easier to convince someone to put down a gun if you point out that you've got one as well, if you haven't it's a lot harder to convince them.

[up]X4 Sure but part of that interfering is giving people alternatives, if gangs are running rampant stealing all the food aid then there is no alternative.

edited 26th Sep '15 3:48:19 PM by Silasw

“And the Bunny nails it!” ~ Gabrael “If the UN can get through a day without everyone strangling everyone else so can we.” ~ Cyran
Rationalinsanity from Halifax, Canada Since: Aug, 2010 Relationship Status: It's complicated
#102009: Sep 26th 2015 at 4:20:13 PM

I'm all for peaceful resolution, but when insurgents start overrunning your base or armed gangs start capping refugees, peacekeepers should be allowed to use a (proportionate) level of deadly force.

The current ROE is what gives us stuff like Srebrenica.

Politics is the skilled use of blunt objects.
Canid117 Since: Oct, 2010 Relationship Status: Hello, I love you
#102010: Sep 26th 2015 at 4:20:45 PM

Nonviolence only works when there is a limit to the amount of violence the other side is willing to apply to you. The kind of people Peacekeepers need to deal with start at "shoot the guys the people in blue hats are trying to save" and only get worse from there.

So... are we going to volunteer any of those fancy microwave lasers we've been working on the last 2 decades?

edited 26th Sep '15 4:22:32 PM by Canid117

"War without fire is like sausages without mustard." - Jean Juvénal des Ursins
Skycobra51 A suitable case for treatment from The US of A Since: Nov, 2013 Relationship Status: Only knew I loved her when I let her go
A suitable case for treatment
#102011: Sep 26th 2015 at 4:22:57 PM

[up]Like the ones they tried to mount on Abrams tanks? Then probably not, seeing how expensive they are.

edited 26th Sep '15 4:26:02 PM by Skycobra51

Look upon my privilege ye mighty and despair.
Canid117 Since: Oct, 2010 Relationship Status: Hello, I love you
#102012: Sep 26th 2015 at 4:29:08 PM

The Humvee mounted ones work pretty well. They have yet to be used during an actual riot though.

"War without fire is like sausages without mustard." - Jean Juvénal des Ursins
Mopman43 Since: Nov, 2013
#102013: Sep 26th 2015 at 4:34:55 PM

Wait, whats all this? We have riot lasers?

Skycobra51 A suitable case for treatment from The US of A Since: Nov, 2013 Relationship Status: Only knew I loved her when I let her go
A suitable case for treatment
#102014: Sep 26th 2015 at 4:36:21 PM

[up][up] Probably because they're afraid it might give rioters cancer or something.

[up]And ones that blow up missiles, but they're kinda expensive.

edited 26th Sep '15 4:37:42 PM by Skycobra51

Look upon my privilege ye mighty and despair.
Deadbeatloser22 from Disappeared by Space Magic (Great Old One) Relationship Status: Tsundere'ing
#102015: Sep 26th 2015 at 4:37:53 PM

Why aren't they fitting the F-35 with a scaled down version of the YAL-1 laser anyways?

"Yup. That tasted purple."
AngelusNox Warder of the damned from The guard of the gates of oblivion Since: Dec, 2014 Relationship Status: Married to the job
Warder of the damned
#102016: Sep 26th 2015 at 4:39:30 PM

Microwave weapons cleared for battle.

[up]Because you need a cargo plane sized powerplant to power the laser.

edited 26th Sep '15 4:40:31 PM by AngelusNox

Inter arma enim silent leges
Deadbeatloser22 from Disappeared by Space Magic (Great Old One) Relationship Status: Tsundere'ing
#102017: Sep 26th 2015 at 4:41:48 PM

Rubbish. The F-35 can do anything.

"Yup. That tasted purple."
Skycobra51 A suitable case for treatment from The US of A Since: Nov, 2013 Relationship Status: Only knew I loved her when I let her go
A suitable case for treatment
#102018: Sep 26th 2015 at 4:43:12 PM

Except avoid cost overflow and beat the almost 40yr old F-16tongue

edited 26th Sep '15 4:45:11 PM by Skycobra51

Look upon my privilege ye mighty and despair.
NativeJovian Jupiterian Local from Orlando, FL Since: Mar, 2014 Relationship Status: Maxing my social links
Jupiterian Local
#102019: Sep 26th 2015 at 4:46:40 PM

Of course that's the part we are contracting out to corporations so...
As far as I'm aware, we don't have corporations crewing aircraft carriers or C-130s. So, no, we're not.

Really from Jupiter, but not an alien.
Protagonist506 from Oregon Since: Dec, 2013 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
#102020: Sep 26th 2015 at 4:48:52 PM

All I can say is:

"Imma Firin' Mah Lazor!"

Leviticus 19:34
Canid117 Since: Oct, 2010 Relationship Status: Hello, I love you
#102021: Sep 26th 2015 at 5:25:46 PM

There are a lot of systems under development. Some friendly some not.

"War without fire is like sausages without mustard." - Jean Juvénal des Ursins
TotemicHero No longer a forum herald from the next level Since: Dec, 2009
No longer a forum herald
#102022: Sep 26th 2015 at 5:50:26 PM

Forget lasers, when can we expect an ER PPC?

Of course, chances are anything like that won't be practical for decades...but it'll get funded anyway. You know, because some has to be paid to make the thing (hint hint).

Expergiscēre cras, medior quam hodie. (Awaken tomorrow, better than today.)
Greenmantle V from Greater Wessex, Britannia Since: Feb, 2010 Relationship Status: Hiding
V
#102023: Sep 26th 2015 at 10:58:54 PM

@ Jovian:

As far as I'm aware, we don't have corporations crewing aircraft carriers or C-130s.

Up to a point.

Keep Rolling On
BlueNinja0 The Mod with the Migraine from Taking a left at Albuquerque Since: Dec, 2010 Relationship Status: Showing feelings of an almost human nature
The Mod with the Migraine
#102024: Sep 27th 2015 at 2:00:13 AM

So I saw an interesting meme on Facebook that has me wondering how well it would work. It's a simple logic bit: IF a Citizen must pay to get an ID, AND a Citizen must have an ID to vote, THEN a Citizen must pay to vote, violating the 14th amendment as per Harper v. Virginia Board of Elections - aka, the "no poll tax" decision.

Now as far as this goes, I find it persuasive, but at the same time I'm left wondering why this has never been brought up through the courts, especially with how many places have implemented repressive ID requirements in the last 10 years. I also worry that, with the current layout of the court, it would be shot down on a 5-4 decision, leaving states free to require outright poll taxes for voting again.

That’s the epitome of privilege right there, not considering armed nazis a threat to your life. - Silasw
Medinoc from France (Before Recorded History)
#102025: Sep 27th 2015 at 2:14:39 AM

From what I've read here, they get away with it because the "poll tax" is a tax of time, time poor people don't have.

edited 27th Sep '15 2:15:13 AM by Medinoc

"And as long as a sack of shit is not a good thing to be, chivalry will never die."

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