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The American army uses one-shot guided weapons (missiles,
etc.) that cost millions of good tax-$ / each. This is a truly
wasteful practice. The army should adopt the famous tactic
used by the Japanese in the closing years of World War II -
recruit pilots for guided missiles. The basic idea would
need
some new twists, though. Some form of compensation would be provided to surviving family members of such pilots. The name
of the Corps would need to be Americanized - I suggest
"Patriotic League of Final Service". Of course, people would
complain that the idea is obscene, that the government should
instead sponsor "suicide prevention" hotlines, etc. However,
it is a fact that every year, a sizeable number of citizens do
commit suicide. So they might as well do it in the service of
their country. A possible problem with the idea is that there
is not always a war in progress, and the volunteers would need
to be trained constantly (as not to lose their piloting skill.) So
quite some time may pass between one's enlistment and the
final flight.
Dr. Strangelove
http://www.filmsite.org/drst.html Watch the film - Slim rides a nuclear bomb to the ground at the end! [wasraw, Dec 21 2000, last modified Oct 21 2004]
[link]
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A plane and a pilot (relatively slow, large, and easy to intercept) are less expensive than a missile? |
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I think a better name for this unit would be the "Slim Pickens Memorial Brigade" - YAAAAAAA-HOOOOOOOO! |
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See link for those of you too young to know this refrence. |
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Well, we outlaw abortion and the government takes those kids, trains them for public service. The brightest get the best education and jobs. The most useless of them go to the kamikaze corps. |
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Well to keep the little buggers from changing their minds, let's just have the C4 embedded in their abdomen. An added benefit would be that the explosives will not be detected at airport security and can be detonated with a call on the cell phone... |
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I had a similar idea, though I'd call them "The Immortals" (they didn't fear death--as per a B-Movie featuring Jack Palance). |
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They'd be well trained, well paid, raised a few ranks, and in a cushy job. When the assignment came, if they refused, they would simply drop a few ranks and be permanantly disqualified from the program. If they performed the service, their estates would be given a million or a few. |
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If they lived, it would be an added bonus. If they failed, they won't get it all, but they'd get some for trying. |
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Not only could they be used for tactical and strategic purposes, but also demonstrative. Imagine, if you will, the propoganda value of during Ramadan, 100 proud American Immortals slitting their own throats as a demostration of contempt to the Mujihideen everywhere. |
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//Imagine, if you will, the propoganda value of during Ramadan, 100 proud American Immortals slitting their own throats as a demostration of contempt to the Mujihideen everywhere.// |
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Ignorance is a terrible thing to waste. |
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Usually those that commit suicide aren't feeling that patriotic at the time. |
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The plane is worth a lot more than the missile. |
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Depends on the plane and on the missile, no? |
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Why not train the Americans to hijack foreign planes and fly them into civilian targets...it's cheap, effective and...oh it's baked...oh and it's in terrible taste...oh and it's morally repugnant. Is there an [mfd] for that? |
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