Definition of WoMD

[Yithian]

I must admit that I haven't been the most diligent of followers of the 'War Against Terrorism' and the possible Iraq conflict. As such I must have missed the point when the definition of Weapons of Mass Destruction was given. So I've looked and found this.

The FBIs definition seems particularly broad and all encompassing. A satchel of grenades tossed one at a time into classrooms in a school would fit, as would a thermonuclear device going off in the middle of New York.

Do any of you have anything to add?

 

[Anonymous]

it's basically as the FBI stated...any kind of weapon that can cause injury, destruction and fatalities on a massive level.


shrapnel bombs, pipe bombs, dirty bombs, nukes, bio weapons, etc etc

 

[SoundDust]

does that inlcude weapons like the daisycutters used to effect on afghanistan? or is WoMD a more subjective definition (i.e. weapons possesed by the enemy) than that

they never mention this on the news

 

[Anonymous]

World Of Music And Dance. A series of really great open air festivals, started by Peter Gabriel.

Oh! Sorry, wrong thread.

I'll get my coat

 

[mejane]

does that inlcude weapons like the daisycutters used to effect on afghanistan? or is WoMD a more subjective definition (i.e. weapons possesed by the enemy) than that

they never mention this on the news

Yep. That's basically it. Anything that can kill and/or maim more than a few people at a time and that we already have but don't want anyone who doesn't agree with us to have (despite having sold them to them in the first place).

Cynical? Who, me?

Jane.

 

[Imperial_Call]

I would have thought a WoMD was something that could wipe out an entire continent in one swoop ... anything less would be a destructive weapon wouldn't it ...?

 

[Anonymous]

I read somewhere recently ( have checked all my usuall haunts to try and find it again and couldn't ) that the U.S had recently downgraded anything non-lethal ( i.e microwave & sub-audio r.f ) to get it out of the WoMD category ( probably coz there's been a lot of research going on with it ) if anyone else knows where this pleeze post the link


Quote from John Lithgow in Cliffhanger " kill 1 person they call you a murderer, kill a million and they call you a conquerer. Go figure? " I'd say that qualifies as a broad term for WoMD

 

[Anome]

A pointed stick, used in the correct manner, could be classified as a weapon of mass destruction.

Yep. That's basically it. Anything that can kill and/or maim more than a few people at a time and that we already have but don't want anyone who doesn't agree with us to have (despite having sold them to them in the first place).

Cynical? Who, me?

Jane.

You say that as if it's a bad thing.

I'd go with a slightly modified version of your definition. A Weapon of Mass Destruction is any weapon that Iraq has. (After all, they will keep changing the definition until Iraq can be proven to have them.)

 

[Anonymous]

Perhaps I'm being excessively cynical, but (in line with the old Bill Hicks' 'Shane' routine) might not the definition of a WoMD be "any weaponry Iraq hasn't bought from the US military-industrial complex"?

 

[Onix_Martinez]

A Weapon of Mass Destruction is any weapon that Iraq has. (After all, they will keep changing the definition until Iraq can be proven to have them.)

So, Saddam's ugly mug, bad breath, delusional attitudes and flyes would be WoMD pretty soon.

 

[Anonymous]

'Weapon of Mass Destruction' is a phrase used by moronic politicians who mean 'NBC weapons', but don't know what 'NBC' stands for.
We have tonnes of them.

 

[Anonymous]

might not the definition of a WoMD be "any weaponry Iraq hasn't bought from the US military-industrial complex

On that basis anthrax doesn't qualify

 

[Anonymous]

Perhaps I'm being excessively cynical, but (in line with the old Bill Hicks' 'Shane' routine) might not the definition of a WoMD be "any weaponry Iraq hasn't bought from the US military-industrial complex"?

To be fair, the vast majority of Iraq's arsenal appears to be of French and Russian origin, (they were, after all, major trading partners of Iraq,) and to be honest I can't find any named US equipment in the Iraqi inventory. (Though given the way these things get traded, it seems unlikely.)

 

[Anonymous]

The equipment is mostly Soviet or French (apart from the US-built Skyhawk fighter bombers) but the nasty biological and chemical stuff is American.

 

[Anonymous]

in line with the old Bill Hicks' 'Shane' routine

Nice one Zygon......but i think you'll find SH's got one tucked into the belt at the back of his jacket....lets hope he doesn't go for it

 

[intaglio]

I suppose that nuclear, biological and chemical covers about everything. Everything is made of atoms everything is made with chemicals. Thus a sharp stick is a nuclear biological and chemical weapon all in one!!!!

 

[Anonymous]

I suspect a stick would come under 'conventional weapons' as it does it's damage using kinetic energy.

 

[Anome]

A nuke does most of its damage through kinetic energy as well. The original idea of the nuclear bomb was to deliver as much kinetic energy to the target as possible. The radiation fallout was just an added "bonus."

Nukes: the bomb that keeps on killing.

 

[Anonymous]

I suspect a stick would come under 'conventional weapons' as it does it's damage using kinetic energy.

It depends on the amount of kinetic energy -
a stick could be accelerated up to a large proportion of the speed of light and impart a vast amount of kinetic energy as a kinetic weapon.
Give it enough energy and it would just go straight through the crust, causing a mini volcano and some interesting seismic effects.

Not very conventional, I think you'll agree
We should be able to find some sticks if we look hard enough...

 

[Anome]

We should be able to find some sticks if we look hard enough...

Or failing that: stones. C'mon, it's a desert. There have to be some stones somewhere, people.

 

[Yithian]

Sarcasm!

Maybe we could flick bogeys at the Iraqis

 

[Anonymous]

That's biological warfare! Very bad!