Public Relations
A cluster bomb is a very effective anti-personnel weapon. Here's how it works: You drop a big bomb from an airplane, which pops open mid-fall to release bright yellow soda can-sized "bomblets." These spread out over a wide area and detonate upon impact, releasing shrapnel at bullet-speeds. Drop them in the middle of enemy infantry and you've got Taliban au gratin. Unfortunately, roughly 5-10% of the bomblets fail to detonate and can explode when later disturbed - useful in the middle of a combat zone, but not so great when you're dropping them near civilian populations, as is the case in Afghanistan. An unexploded bomblet will stick around until somebody who doesn't know any better decides to pick it up and give it a shake. Which is why, in a stroke of sheer genius, the Pentagon announced last week that it would be changing the color of the food rations which we've been dropping on Afghanistan from yellow to blue - yes that's right, the rations are currently exactly the same color (and almost the same size and shape) as cluster bomblets! "Civilians of Afghanistan, we are not your enemies! As a sign of our friendship, please accept these food packages! Um, no not those... a bit to your left, that could be one... no, I wouldn't poke it with that stick... oh, damn..."
washingtonpost.com |
