Metzger MeisterIt Gets Worsebefore it gets any better.Registered Userregular
The thing about chemical weapons is that they aren't exactly what you might call predictable. One could easily release whatever agent we're talkin about on their own people! Consider an accident at an arms manufacturing plant. You could have a remarkably deadly pathogen or toxin released over a guy missing his morning cup of joe.
Dodge, the use of agent orange, napalm and other assorted defoliants during the Vietnam war could arguably be a fairly recent example. I say arguably because one could argue that it wasn't used for the express purpose of killing people but I dunno, since they were using it to wipe out areas where soldiers were hiding/living and we targeted crops as well, I would count it.
During the Iraq/Iran war back in the 80s, there was some nasty stuff being used (mustard gas among others, iirc).
Indonesia have a nasty history of poisoning water and food supplies during the East Timor and west Papua conflicts too
There's also that shit going on in Syria at the moment that I don't really know much about either
I get your point though that use of chemical weapons have by and large been condemned and are not accepted as a conventional means to fight wars but yeah, it certainly has happened post WWI
MrMonroepassed outon the floor nowRegistered Userregular
edited November 2013
The Iraqis used it on Iranian forces during their war in the '80s
they've been used in a few high-profile terrorist attacks
non-lethal chemical weapons are used by police forces in America and across the world on a daily basis
some people consider white phosphorous to be a "chemical weapon", which I am of two minds about, but Israel has used plenty in their occupation
Gaddafi used some against the Chadian army
I'm sure there's more, but the point is there isn't a decade in human history that has gone by without someone deliberately deploying chemical weapons since the decade in which they were first produced
erm, edit: that kind of depends on your definition, I suppose you could make an argument that humans have been using them for hundreds of years based on a really expansive one.
Happy Veterans' Day!
the weed store near my house has a 15% off deal if you show them a valid military ID
my original point was really just that I'm surprised that chemical warfare hasn't just become a normal part of warfare like carpet bombing
war is weird
like I'm sure if arms manufacturers had applied the ingenuity they've shown with high explosives to chemical weapons they'd have come up with some horrifying shit
And of course let's not forget about the habitual use of depleted uranium by Western militaries despite its effects not only on enemy soldiers and on civilians but also on the soldiers who end up working with it in the first place.
BroloBroseidonLord of the BroceanRegistered Userregular
I've always had nightmares about viral warfare. I know some of it's irrational, but the idea of having something that could spread across a population, undetected, indiscriminately on its own just hits all of my panic triggers.
my original point was really just that I'm surprised that chemical warfare hasn't just become a normal part of warfare like carpet bombing
war is weird
like I'm sure if arms manufacturers had applied the ingenuity they've shown with high explosives to chemical weapons they'd have come up with some horrifying shit
well
more horrifying
"carpet bombing" in the popular sense actually has died out a lot more effectively than the use of chemical weapons, (mainly due to how expensive and shitty a strategy it is given modern technology) but I get what you're saying.
The thing is, people still value reciprocity, even if not everyone is going along with the regime. It's not enough that some regimes and individuals have used these weapons to get everyone to say, "fuck it, all bets are off, let's nerve gas these assholes", and most regimes see the value in not using them against others because of the measure of protection that it affords them from international pressure in prosecuting their conventional wars.
my original point was really just that I'm surprised that chemical warfare hasn't just become a normal part of warfare like carpet bombing
war is weird
like I'm sure if arms manufacturers had applied the ingenuity they've shown with high explosives to chemical weapons they'd have come up with some horrifying shit
well
more horrifying
Yeah, I can see where you're coming from. I mean, I'm super glad chemical weapons are banned, but what about shit like mines (or booby traps in general) or cluster bombs?
I've always had nightmares about viral warfare. I know some of it's irrational, but the idea of having something that could spread across a population, undetected, indiscriminately on its own just hits all of my panic triggers.
the second scariest dream I have ever had involved watching a nuclear holocaust unfold from a seat in a commercial airliner at 30,000 feet
which, now that I think about it, could be the start to an incredible movie
I've always had nightmares about viral warfare. I know some of it's irrational, but the idea of having something that could spread across a population, undetected, indiscriminately on its own just hits all of my panic triggers.
the second scariest dream I have ever had involved watching a nuclear holocaust unfold from a seat in a commercial airliner at 30,000 feet
which, now that I think about it, could be the start to an incredible movie
I've always had nightmares about viral warfare. I know some of it's irrational, but the idea of having something that could spread across a population, undetected, indiscriminately on its own just hits all of my panic triggers.
the second scariest dream I have ever had involved watching a nuclear holocaust unfold from a seat in a commercial airliner at 30,000 feet
which, now that I think about it, could be the start to an incredible movie
I've always had nightmares about viral warfare. I know some of it's irrational, but the idea of having something that could spread across a population, undetected, indiscriminately on its own just hits all of my panic triggers.
the second scariest dream I have ever had involved watching a nuclear holocaust unfold from a seat in a commercial airliner at 30,000 feet
which, now that I think about it, could be the start to an incredible movie
Metzger MeisterIt Gets Worsebefore it gets any better.Registered Userregular
I would consider napalm and phosphorus to be separate from "chemical" weapons despite being weaponized chemicals, which is a pretty great point really, solely because they are incendiary in nature, and are therefore terrifying and reprehensible for whole other reasons. Well the same reasons but in a different way.
I've always had nightmares about viral warfare. I know some of it's irrational, but the idea of having something that could spread across a population, undetected, indiscriminately on its own just hits all of my panic triggers.
the second scariest dream I have ever had involved watching a nuclear holocaust unfold from a seat in a commercial airliner at 30,000 feet
which, now that I think about it, could be the start to an incredible movie
there are definitely similarities, although Lucifer's Hammer i think is a lot more researched and probably realistic. It's also fucking dark, and there's a little bit of semi-comical racism on the part of the authors. it's the best end-of-the-world book i've read, after Earth Abides and maybe Malevil.
my original point was really just that I'm surprised that chemical warfare hasn't just become a normal part of warfare like carpet bombing
war is weird
like I'm sure if arms manufacturers had applied the ingenuity they've shown with high explosives to chemical weapons they'd have come up with some horrifying shit
well
more horrifying
VX is tasteless, odorless and so deadly that a drop big enough to kill you isn't even visible to the naked eye, a gas mask won't save you, and even getting it on a hazmat suit is enough for it to kill other people around you
also, I'll always assume the really bad stuff is top secret
+1
BeastehTHAT WOULD NOTKILL DRACULARegistered Userregular
we observed the two minute's silence at work while i was on the till with a small queue of people
we all stood silently, heads bowed
then some customers barged in talking loudly to each other and we all looked at each other and rolled our eyes
0
Larlarconsecutive normal brunchesModerator, ClubPAmod
We got an e-mail about the two minutes silence at work but the system was down so it arrived late
this led to many sarcastic jokes as I am sure you can tell
think I was on the phone to someone at the time?
I dunno man I got plenty of respect for bravery but Armistice Day represents WWI more than anything
and I can't really bring myself to celebrate the courage and bravery of those who fought in that war.
If I have respect for something, I don't need two minutes of silence for that. If I don't, it aint going to come. If other people want to show their feelings in that way then fair enough, but the silence is not for me. I won't talk during it more because I don't want to disturb other people's ritual rather than anything else.
I think the entire point of Armistice Day is that everyone agrees WWI was basically pointless and that war is a colossal waste, not "hail the victorious dead"
+6
Donovan PuppyfuckerA dagger in the dark isworth a thousand swords in the morningRegistered Userregular
We got an e-mail about the two minutes silence at work but the system was down so it arrived late
this led to many sarcastic jokes as I am sure you can tell
think I was on the phone to someone at the time?
I dunno man I got plenty of respect for bravery but Armistice Day represents WWI more than anything
and I can't really bring myself to celebrate the courage and bravery of those who fought in that war.
If I have respect for something, I don't need two minutes of silence for that. If I don't, it aint going to come. If other people want to show their feelings in that way then fair enough, but the silence is not for me. I won't talk during it more because I don't want to disturb other people's ritual rather than anything else.
The moment of silence at 11 a.m. on the 11th of November is absolutely not about glorifying war in any way.
You're meant to consider how stupid, useless, and pointless war is.
But at the same time, a lot of people have died in a lot of wars
I wasn't talking about the glorification of war but more the emotional significance of the loss
Do we have two minutes of silence for the Napoleonic Wars? For the Punic Wars? Do we need it? I don't think I do, anyway.
I dunno, WWI just doesn't have a significance to me. It's pure history. It's got no emotional weight in my mind. I can look at it like I'd look at wars during the medieval period or whenever. As a kid I sat in Assembly and felt, well, nothing at all during that time. Those people who do feel something, that's cool too.
VX is tasteless, odorless and so deadly that a drop big enough to kill you isn't even visible to the naked eye, a gas mask won't save you, and even getting it on a hazmat suit is enough for it to kill other people around you
How do we know?
0
Larlarconsecutive normal brunchesModerator, ClubPAmod
VX is tasteless, odorless and so deadly that a drop big enough to kill you isn't even visible to the naked eye, a gas mask won't save you, and even getting it on a hazmat suit is enough for it to kill other people around you
For me it's been an exercise in empathy. All these men, women and children who suffered through what I can only imagine would have been a supremely harrowing experience. It's certainly not about glorifying the war for me, nor dwelling on the existential human condition. It is an intensely humbling experience to consider the privations and horrors the people of the time must have suffered.
If I had to sum up my feelings in a sentence it would be something like,
"These poor bastards suffered through some of the most difficult, scary times we've ever encountered and even in the face of that they did what was asked of them and for that I will always remember their sacrifice regardless of how pointless it may have been in the greater scheme of things
tl;dr Remembrance Day is a time of silent contemplation for the individuals who suffered through some of the darkest times in human history
VX is tasteless, odorless and so deadly that a drop big enough to kill you isn't even visible to the naked eye, a gas mask won't save you, and even getting it on a hazmat suit is enough for it to kill other people around you
How do we know?
I'm going to guess some combination of fancy chemistry, adorable little puppy dogs and ruthlessness
0
PiptheFairFrequently not in boats.Registered Userregular
But at the same time, a lot of people have died in a lot of wars
I wasn't talking about the glorification of war but more the emotional significance of the loss
Do we have two minutes of silence for the Napoleonic Wars? For the Punic Wars? Do we need it? I don't think I do, anyway.
I dunno, WWI just doesn't have a significance to me. It's pure history. It's got no emotional weight in my mind. I can look at it like I'd look at wars during the medieval period or whenever. As a kid I sat in Assembly and felt, well, nothing at all during that time. Those people who do feel something, that's cool too.
Posts
Uh
It's a beautiful song.
Gets me every single time, no matter who sings it.
Edit: and now I'm making the terrible mistake of listening to it at work
Steam ID - VeldrinD | SS Post | Wishlist
Yeah uh
You shouldn't be?
Because people still use them.
Like they were used very recently too.
hey satan...: thinkgeek amazon My post |
I know that.
But I'm sort of amazed that usage of chemical weapons is the exception rather than the rule.
https://medium.com/@alascii
Risk and reward, yall.
Uh
CAN SOMEONE EXPLAIN TO ME WHAT I'M MISSING INSTEAD OF JUST MAKING FUN OF ME
https://medium.com/@alascii
We used Napalm in Vietnam
Syria
Agent orange
Pretty sure it was used some in ww2
During the Iraq/Iran war back in the 80s, there was some nasty stuff being used (mustard gas among others, iirc).
Indonesia have a nasty history of poisoning water and food supplies during the East Timor and west Papua conflicts too
There's also that shit going on in Syria at the moment that I don't really know much about either
I get your point though that use of chemical weapons have by and large been condemned and are not accepted as a conventional means to fight wars but yeah, it certainly has happened post WWI
Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better
bit.ly/2XQM1ke
Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better
bit.ly/2XQM1ke
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chemical_Weapons_Convention
It's not particularly effective but it is enough to put political pressure on military forces not to use those weapons.
https://medium.com/@alascii
they've been used in a few high-profile terrorist attacks
non-lethal chemical weapons are used by police forces in America and across the world on a daily basis
some people consider white phosphorous to be a "chemical weapon", which I am of two minds about, but Israel has used plenty in their occupation
Gaddafi used some against the Chadian army
I'm sure there's more, but the point is there isn't a decade in human history that has gone by without someone deliberately deploying chemical weapons since the decade in which they were first produced
erm, edit: that kind of depends on your definition, I suppose you could make an argument that humans have been using them for hundreds of years based on a really expansive one.
Happy Veterans' Day!
the weed store near my house has a 15% off deal if you show them a valid military ID
Yeah, I'm sure there's some kind of formal classification for chemical weapons but I just assumed that you would count it.
Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better
bit.ly/2XQM1ke
war is weird
like I'm sure if arms manufacturers had applied the ingenuity they've shown with high explosives to chemical weapons they'd have come up with some horrifying shit
well
more horrifying
https://medium.com/@alascii
"carpet bombing" in the popular sense actually has died out a lot more effectively than the use of chemical weapons, (mainly due to how expensive and shitty a strategy it is given modern technology) but I get what you're saying.
The thing is, people still value reciprocity, even if not everyone is going along with the regime. It's not enough that some regimes and individuals have used these weapons to get everyone to say, "fuck it, all bets are off, let's nerve gas these assholes", and most regimes see the value in not using them against others because of the measure of protection that it affords them from international pressure in prosecuting their conventional wars.
Yeah, I can see where you're coming from. I mean, I'm super glad chemical weapons are banned, but what about shit like mines (or booby traps in general) or cluster bombs?
Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better
bit.ly/2XQM1ke
the second scariest dream I have ever had involved watching a nuclear holocaust unfold from a seat in a commercial airliner at 30,000 feet
which, now that I think about it, could be the start to an incredible movie
yeah this scene pretty much haunted most of my childhood
like I never really had spooky/supernatural night terrors
the things that have scared me have almost always been man-made
check out Lucifer's Hammer
hitting hot metal with hammers
Interesting. Sounds like On the Beach.
there are definitely similarities, although Lucifer's Hammer i think is a lot more researched and probably realistic. It's also fucking dark, and there's a little bit of semi-comical racism on the part of the authors. it's the best end-of-the-world book i've read, after Earth Abides and maybe Malevil.
hitting hot metal with hammers
VX is tasteless, odorless and so deadly that a drop big enough to kill you isn't even visible to the naked eye, a gas mask won't save you, and even getting it on a hazmat suit is enough for it to kill other people around you
also, I'll always assume the really bad stuff is top secret
we all stood silently, heads bowed
then some customers barged in talking loudly to each other and we all looked at each other and rolled our eyes
Wrong. It's helping me populate a list of forumers to target with chemical weapons.
this led to many sarcastic jokes as I am sure you can tell
think I was on the phone to someone at the time?
I dunno man I got plenty of respect for bravery but Armistice Day represents WWI more than anything
and I can't really bring myself to celebrate the courage and bravery of those who fought in that war.
If I have respect for something, I don't need two minutes of silence for that. If I don't, it aint going to come. If other people want to show their feelings in that way then fair enough, but the silence is not for me. I won't talk during it more because I don't want to disturb other people's ritual rather than anything else.
The moment of silence at 11 a.m. on the 11th of November is absolutely not about glorifying war in any way.
You're meant to consider how stupid, useless, and pointless war is.
But at the same time, a lot of people have died in a lot of wars
I wasn't talking about the glorification of war but more the emotional significance of the loss
Do we have two minutes of silence for the Napoleonic Wars? For the Punic Wars? Do we need it? I don't think I do, anyway.
I dunno, WWI just doesn't have a significance to me. It's pure history. It's got no emotional weight in my mind. I can look at it like I'd look at wars during the medieval period or whenever. As a kid I sat in Assembly and felt, well, nothing at all during that time. Those people who do feel something, that's cool too.
Undead focus groups.
If I had to sum up my feelings in a sentence it would be something like,
"These poor bastards suffered through some of the most difficult, scary times we've ever encountered and even in the face of that they did what was asked of them and for that I will always remember their sacrifice regardless of how pointless it may have been in the greater scheme of things
tl;dr Remembrance Day is a time of silent contemplation for the individuals who suffered through some of the darkest times in human history
Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better
bit.ly/2XQM1ke
I'm going to guess some combination of fancy chemistry, adorable little puppy dogs and ruthlessness
k