WMDs?

Originally posted by rubberjaw30
yes...
someone, please...
show me where this thinking is incorrect...
until then, i stand behind what i said: keep it over there

My question was directed at usmc. Don't think I don't want your opinion too however.

Originally posted by hoven5th
I doubt they enlisted to be a quite expendable pawn (no pun intended) for some redneck's backwater geopolitics. In fact, the armed services are disproportionatly from lower-class (I use the word "lower" in an extremly relative sense) backgrounds - people with not much education when they enlist, and they're probably just looking for some life training or a ...[text shortened]... ng benificial for our country, and not be treated as an object in a very irresponsible game.

i must disagree...
firstly...
some of the best people I know fill the definition of redneck...
it is way overused by yankees like you to denote someone from the South...
no, we are not all ignorant...
secondly...
i daresay that most of the people in the military are NOT undereducated...
look at the Air Force... one entire branch chocked full of the finest minds this country has ever produced...
thirdly...
don't men and women, upon entry into the service, take an oath of some sort declaring that they realize that their job is a deadly one and that they do so willingly?
don't quote me on that last point...
fourthly...
how is patriotism naive?
just because some of us still have respect for the men and women who have given their lives to make this country the greatest on earth... does that respect make us naive?

Originally posted by hoven5th
When you get out of college you wont want to go into the military. They wont want you either. Education teaches to to be a critical thinker. The military prefers those who blindly obey orders.

those men blindly obeying orders bought your freedom 231 years ago, Jack...

Originally posted by rubberjaw30
i must disagree...
firstly...
some of the best people I know fill the definition of redneck...
it is way overused by yankees like you to denote someone from the South...
no, we are not all ignorant...
secondly...
i daresay that most of the people in the military are NOT undereducated...
look at the Air Force... one entire branch chocked full of th ...[text shortened]... ven their lives to make this country the greatest on earth... does that respect make us naive?

Sorry about the redneck thing. That was out of line.

Originally posted by rubberjaw30
i must disagree...
firstly...
some of the best people I know fill the definition of redneck...
it is way overused by yankees like you to denote someone from the South...
no, we are not all ignorant...
secondly...
i daresay that most of the people in the military are NOT undereducated...
look at the Air Force... one entire branch chocked full of th ...[text shortened]... ven their lives to make this country the greatest on earth... does that respect make us naive?

Why is this country the greatest on earth? Is that an objective fact, or do you think that might be biased? That's the kind of arrogance that got us into trouble in this war, and into sour relations with the rest of the world. We are A country, to be sure, but with strenghts and weaknesses like any other. One of the most prominent weaknesses among them this notion that we are somehow better than everyone else.

And I'd bet anything that the average educational achievement of an armed forces enlistee at the time of enlistment is less than the average american. Maybe not true in the past, but certainly true now.

Originally posted by rubberjaw30
those men blindly obeying orders bought your freedom 231 years ago, Jack...

Who's talking about the revolution?

Which, by the way, was engineered by a bunch of aristocrats who didn't want to pay taxes. Nothing changes. The rich convince the poor that they need to die for their cause.

Originally posted by hoven5th
When you get out of college you wont want to go into the military. They wont want you either. Education teaches to to be a critical thinker. The military prefers those who blindly obey orders.

That's complete crap. A college education is how you become an officer.

Originally posted by Merk
On a serious note, do you understand why its called depleted?

I'm also wondering if you have something to prove that its a WMD? Seems thousands of U.S. Military personell should have cancer from it.

I wonder why I don't have cancer? Or the car driver? Or anyone on the other teams that use depleted uranium?

Even a legitimate WMD like plutonium can be carried around in your pocket.

Depleted uranium is Uranium 238. Naturally uranium ore has something like 95% (I can't remember the exact figure and can't be bothered to look it up) Uranium 238 and 5% U235. Uranium 235 is more easily fissionable, and is used for weapons. Once the 235 isotope has been removed the remaining uranium is not easily fissionable and is called depleted for that reason. This doesn't stop it from being radioactive. NATO standard tank ammunition contains depleted uranium to make the shell more effective against armour. When a DU shell hits a target the uranium oxidises and forms a dust, this dust gets into the environment and is poisonous. These shells are radiological weapons, and should not be used. Before they are fired the U238 is contained and won't cause service personel undue exposure problems. US and British personel involved in the second Gulf War developed a disease known as Gulf War Syndrome, in which DU shells were implicated; many of the people who got the disease were involved in inspecting destroyed Iraqi tanks hit by these weapons.

However, DU shells are not WMD's. A WMD is a Weapon of Mass Destruction, so basically a nuclear bomb or a chemical or biological weapon designed to affect a large area. DU shells are radiological weapons, essentially they are dirty bombs, but they aren't designed to affect large areas. Plutonium is also not a WMD, it is a metal. It is a very toxic metal, and if you attempted to carry it around in your pocket, at least in enough quantities to make a WMD, you'd find yourself with radiation poisoning.

Now, I can't help but notice that you are claiming to be in the military. In the thread on climate change you claim to have been a meteorologist since 1978 which would make you at least 50. Make your mind up old son, are you a soldier or a weather forcaster?

Originally posted by hoven5th
Why is this country the greatest on earth? Is that an objective fact, or do you think that might be biased? That's the kind of arrogance that got us into trouble in this war, and into sour relations with the rest of the world. We are A country, to be sure, but with strenghts and weaknesses like any other. One of the most prominent weaknesses among them ...[text shortened]... stment is less than the average american. Maybe not true in the past, but certainly true now.

We are militarily and economically the greatest. I think that's pretty objective.

Originally posted by Merk
That's complete crap. A college education is how you become an officer.

That's because they've already enlisted

Originally posted by AThousandYoung
We are militarily and economically the greatest. I think that's pretty objective.

Again, strengthes and weaknesses. We have the largest economy, but the most inequality of any advanced industrialized country. We have the largest military, but we use it to kill innicent people. Typical American thinking: biggest is best.

Originally posted by hoven5th
That's because they've already enlisted

I've considered joining, knowing my degree would guarantee me an officership.

Originally posted by hoven5th
Why is this country the greatest on earth? Is that an objective fact, or do you think that might be biased? That's the kind of arrogance that got us into trouble in this war, and into sour relations with the rest of the world. We are A country, to be sure, but with strenghts and weaknesses like any other. One of the most prominent weaknesses among them ...[text shortened]... stment is less than the average american. Maybe not true in the past, but certainly true now.

possibly because many people use the military to pay for their education...
also, yes, there is no doubt in my mind that this is the greatest country on earth...
does anyone else have the garunteed freedoms we do?
does anyone else have the superb economy we do?
(yes, i know that sometimes our economy has its ups and downs, and here are countries like Japan with an even better economy, but ours has (almost) always come through
does anyone else have the level of technology we do (besides Japan)?
does anyone else have the miliary might we do? (only make a big deal about this statement if you see it absolutely fit)
does anyone else have such an effective governement? (one might argue that the american government is weak... but only argue this if you realize that YOU elected Bush and company. also, if the american people wanted rid of him so bad, they have the impeachment option built in... call your Congressmen)
so yes, despite our flaws, i think that America IS the greatest country on earth

Originally posted by hoven5th
Again, strengthes and weaknesses. We have the largest economy, but the most inequality of any advanced industrialized country. We have the largest military, but we use it to kill innicent people. Typical American thinking: biggest is best.

I'm a scientist. By "great" I meant exactly what I said - our military and economy are BIG and powerful. I didn't mean to imply anything more than that, especially anything which implied "betterness".

Originally posted by DeepThought
Depleted uranium is Uranium 238. Naturally uranium ore has something like 95% (I can't remember the exact figure and can't be bothered to look it up) Uranium 238 and 5% U235. Uranium 235 is more easily fissionable, and is used for weapons. Once the 235 isotope has been removed the remaining uranium is not easily fissionable and is called depleted for ...[text shortened]... e you at least 50. Make your mind up old son, are you a soldier or a weather forcaster?

I am neither, nor have I ever claimed to be.

I would appreciate that you not spread such lies.