From newshub.ccs.yorku.ca!torn!utcsri!rutgers!usc!sdd.hp.com!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!malgudi.oar.net!chemabs!sdr57 Wed Sep 16 21:23:05 EDT 1992
Article 6885 of comp.ai.philosophy:
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>From: sdr57@cas.org
Newsgroups: comp.ai.philosophy,rec.arts.sf.misc,alt.cyberpunk
Subject: Re: 21st Century Soldier
Message-ID: <1992Sep11.164931.3439@cas.org>
Date: 11 Sep 92 16:49:31 GMT
References: <4SEP199212055495@dstl86.gsfc.nasa.gov> <1992Sep11.041641.9944@constellation.ecn.uoknor.edu> <11SEP199211584293@dstl86.gsfc.nasa.gov>
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Organization: Chemical Abstracts Service, Columbus, Ohio
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In article <11SEP199211584293@dstl86.gsfc.nasa.gov> olson@dstl86.gsfc.nasa.gov (Paul Olson) writes:
>In article <1992Sep11.041641.9944@constellation.ecn.uoknor.edu>, rwmurphr@crusader.ecn.uoknor.edu (Robert W Murphree) writes...
>>according to an article in the last month or so of new scientist.
>>The soldier of tomorrow will carry a laser to blind other soldiers.
>>and wear goggles to save his own eyes.  Expect battlefield opthalmalic
>>surgery to be a big part of 21rst century MASH units.
>
>Yes, and cheap chemical smoke can block multimillion dollar lasers.
>
>Dr. Forbin

Yes, smoke can block lasers (if it is the right kind of smoke).
Of course, if the wind is blowing, or if you are in a vehicle
that moves out of the smoke, or if they shoot at you before you
set off that smoke grenade, or if you run out of smoke grenades
because you can't carry an infinite supply of anything, or you're
afraid to set off the smoke grenade because it would mark your
position for the other guys airplanes, or...
Well, you get the picture. Iraqi units in Kuwait were well
supplied with cheap portable antitank weapons, which could
destroy our multimillion dollar tanks. It just didn't work
out that way - combat can be unpredictable like that.

******************************************************************************
Renegade academician. They're a dangerous breed when they go feral,
academics are...a chemist, too.
		    -(James P. Blaylock in "Lord Kelvin's Machine")

My organization hasn't agreed with any of my opinions so far, and
I doubt they'll start now.

Stanley "Ya nee speon" Roberts


