New York Times correspondent C.J. Chivers reports from Syria on government attempts to seed the black market with altered ammunition as an attempt to maim and kill rebel soldiers.
Used in Syria against the rebels, used in iraq against the rebels ect ect.
Bullets designed to explode inside rifle, ruining rifle and possibly the soldier.
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I'd say that this is a lesser evil than shelling areas where civilians may be.
In theory it only effects combatants (unless the ammo is resold for civilian use after the end of the conflict).
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I don't think it's an evil at all. Just because the guerillas don't like it, and I sympathize with the guerillas, doesn't mean everything the government does is inherently wrong.
Strangely enough, it's a tactic i'd never come across before.
i am wondering about the source of the spikeds appearing in syria - i wonder if USA tricks have literally backfired?
"Aid, trade, green technology and peace." - Hans Rosling.
"Welcome to SDN, where we can't see the forest because walking into trees repeatedly feels good, bro." - Mr Coffee
Simon_Jester wrote:I don't think it's an evil at all. Just because the guerillas don't like it, and I sympathize with the guerillas, doesn't mean everything the government does is inherently wrong.
Hear, hear. This falls firmly under the category of 'acceptable ruse of war,' just like night-vision goggles, spies, and any tactic more advanced than the human wave.
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madd0ct0r wrote:i am wondering about the source of the spikeds appearing in syria - i wonder if USA tricks have literally backfired?
I'd hope that the US was smarter than that - you'd have to realise that such a tactic is less likely to hit the standing army than the rebels that oppose it.
This seems less immoral than fighting in civilian areas because this tends to keep the casualties to the combatants.
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madd0ct0r wrote:i am wondering about the source of the spikeds appearing in syria - i wonder if USA tricks have literally backfired?
I'd hope that the US was smarter than that - you'd have to realise that such a tactic is less likely to hit the standing army than the rebels that oppose it.
It's pretty easy to do, and the source is more than likely the Syrian government itself selling to black marketeers to damage the Rebels. The US doesn't need to be involved for thhis stuff to happen.
It's funny how fighting dirty is often actually the most humane, quickest way to end a battle and thus commonly results in far less civilians being killed in the crossfire, but it is chastised
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PeZook wrote:It's funny how fighting dirty is often actually the most humane, quickest way to end a battle and thus commonly results in far less civilians being killed in the crossfire, but it is chastised
Hey man, crossbows are un-Christian no matter how you slice it.
madd0ct0r wrote:i am wondering about the source of the spikeds appearing in syria - i wonder if USA tricks have literally backfired?
I'd hope that the US was smarter than that - you'd have to realise that such a tactic is less likely to hit the standing army than the rebels that oppose it.
It's pretty easy to do, and the source is more than likely the Syrian government itself selling to black marketeers to damage the Rebels. The US doesn't need to be involved for thhis stuff to happen.
I should have explained my thought process:
US makes available large quantities of tainted ammo in Iraq to screw up the insurgents. Whether by merchant or Islamist groups, some of that ammo makes its way to the syrian rebels, where it's reported.
It's much more likely to be the Syrian gov, though it's be fun if it was a marker for exchange between different local groups.
"Aid, trade, green technology and peace." - Hans Rosling.
"Welcome to SDN, where we can't see the forest because walking into trees repeatedly feels good, bro." - Mr Coffee
PeZook wrote:It's funny how fighting dirty is often actually the most humane, quickest way to end a battle and thus commonly results in far less civilians being killed in the crossfire, but it is chastised
Who knew insurgencies and revolutions were - oh right.
Lets long for the old days of big organised armies in neat ranks so we can just nuke a few cities and 'win'.
