| It becomes increasingly difficult to find anything of | | | | See how they stressed six meters? I wonder why? |
| use in the media these days. Everything is wrapped in | | | | An American publication for an American audience, |
| the cocoon of nonspeak; outrage is cloformed into | | | | don't they know the American public abhors the |
| warm and fuzzy. We have been brow beaten by the | | | | metric system? |
| Bonnie and Clyde administration until we are numbed | | | | I guess six meters sounds better than eighteen feet |
| into submission. Like Londoners during the blitz no one | | | | and demonstrated, which means some times most of |
| gets excited by the air raid sirens anymore. We crawl | | | | the time but not all the time. So if we despin the first |
| out of the shelters each morning oblivious to the | | | | line, |
| new damage and unconcerned about the destruction | | | | "A Raytheon Co. satellite-guided artillery shell - the |
| of our neighbors. | | | | first weapon of its kind - will likely be deployed to |
| The effectiveness of the media should not be | | | | Iraq next month," |
| discounted; they have done a wonderful job. | | | | Will likely be deployed? Any one want to place a |
| They are the shinning stars of this cabal. Had a coup | | | | wager on how likely that might be? |
| de tat such as this happen in 1939 when Edward R. | | | | "The army shipped the first 155mm "Excalibur" shells |
| Morrow had been at the peek of his journalistic | | | | to Kuwait after the weapon in February |
| powers he could have spent the rest of his days just | | | | demonstrated accuracy within six meters of its |
| on the usurpatation of the Constitution in the year | | | | target," |
| 2000. He could have added to Churchill's famous book | | | | 155 MM is the largest artillery shell in the Armies |
| "While England Slept" with another volume While | | | | inventory that can sometimes come with in eighteen |
| America was comatose. But that was only the | | | | feet of its target. Now if we were just chunking |
| opening salvo and by now six and a half years later | | | | pumpkins that would be pretty cool, but what are |
| he would certainly have worked himself into a state | | | | they forgetting? Oh yeah, that the shell is filled with |
| of exhaustion. | | | | high explosives and would kill any one with in a |
| Management would have quickly tired of his lapses in | | | | hundred feet of it. I guess that's an unimportant |
| company protocol and would have promoted him to | | | | detail. |
| the Luxemburg bureau or perhaps the lighter side of | | | | "A precision that can minimize civilian casualties and |
| the news interviewing American Idol contestants. It's | | | | accidental U.S. military deaths in a war that is |
| ok to cover tragedy in its deepest bloody prurient | | | | increasingly urban. An unguided 155mm shell can miss |
| detail but only good tragedy. You ask, good tragedy? | | | | its target by as much as 280 meters." |
| Yes, good tragedy the Virginia tech shootings by all | | | | Stop! Read the line above twice for good measure, |
| means that's a good tragedy. A nut with guns, can't | | | | Thank God it sounded for a minute there like they |
| be blamed on the government and everyone has | | | | were going to be using 155mm artillery against |
| stopped asking about the lying Attorney General or | | | | innocent civilian populations. But in our Christian |
| Dennis Kucinich filing articles of impeachment against | | | | compassion and our love for mankind we are going |
| the Vice President, Yes yes by all means cover the | | | | to use the more accurate 155mm howitzers against |
| nut with guns! | | | | innocent civilians and for some reason the Iraqi's don't |
| Now the story about the Iraqi Prime Minister issuing | | | | like us, go figure. |
| an arrest warrant for an Iraqi Colonel in charge of an | | | | "The shells are awaiting final army approval before |
| area of Baghdad that's bad tragedy. His area of | | | | shipment to Iraq. For Waltham, Mass.-based |
| command was resplendent with car bombs over the | | | | Raytheon, successful combat use would be a |
| past week killing twice as many as at Virginia tech. | | | | milestone in a $1.4-billion-US program for up to 30,000 |
| Well it's so far away and so hard to get any facts | | | | shells costing about $39,000 each." |
| and well no one looks good in a story like that do | | | | Iraq? I thought they were going to Kuwait and then |
| they. An Iraqi colonel working with the insurgency, | | | | likely Iraq make up your mind will you. Now what |
| Sound too expensive. | | | | qualifies as successful combat use? We only kill half |
| Here's a good story about Iraq but it's not without | | | | as many civilians or twice as many insurgents and |
| thorns, | | | | what with using 155 mm artillery how will we tell the |
| Smart artillery shells going to Iraq | | | | difference? But it would be a milestone all right, $1.4 |
| Shell can drop within six meters of intended target | | | | billion dollars for 30,000 shells. How about we buy |
| Bloomberg | | | | 30,000 Buick's instead, it might be more cost |
| Published: Thursday, April 19, 2007 | | | | effective for our troops to yell, "Come on out and |
| WASHINGTON -- A Raytheon Co. satellite-guided | | | | we'll give you a Buick! |
| artillery shell -- the first weapon of its kind -- will likely | | | | This story is a textbook example of the Orwellian |
| be deployed to Iraq next month, U.S. army officials | | | | non-speak perpetuated by the media. |
| said yesterday. | | | | A terrible thing, the use of 155 mm artillery on civilian |
| The army shipped the first 155mm "Excalibur" shells | | | | populations is portrayed as noble and compassionate |
| to Kuwait after the weapon in February | | | | and an effort to save lives. But by saying, "An |
| demonstrated accuracy within six meters of its | | | | unguided 155mm shell can miss its target by as much |
| target, a precision that can minimize civilian casualties | | | | as 280 meters." They are saying we can't use |
| and accidental U.S. military deaths in a war that is | | | | artillery against buildings in increasingly urban |
| increasingly urban. An unguided 155mm shell can miss | | | | environment 280 meters = 840 feet you could shoot |
| its target by as much as 280 meters. | | | | all day and never hit the target. But now because of |
| The shells are awaiting final army approval before | | | | our care and concern for mankind and shoulder fired |
| shipment to Iraq. For Waltham, Mass.-based | | | | missiles taking out our helicopters we will indeed use |
| Raytheon, successful combat use would be a | | | | 155 mm artillery on civilian populations. Talk about |
| milestone in a $1.4-billion-US program for up to 30,000 | | | | your nut with guns story! |
| shells costing about $39,000 each. | | | | |