Well, apparently whoever gives the orders to drop a JDAM on a suspected terrorist target has a LTK. It is the new way for modern nations to take take out individuals even. Like the movie “Clear and Present Danger” when the bomb takes out the truck.
Why do we need hired killers when we can fly a bomb through your living room window.
[QUOTE=griffin1977]
Actually Alexander Fleming based 007s “License to Kill” on the actual MI6 policy
[/QUOTE]
That Alexander Fleming was pretty awesome, although I bet he was a bit upset that Ian Fleming generally gets credit for creating James Bond.
[QUOTE=Klaatu]
Why do we need hired killers when we can fly a bomb through your living room window.
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Because sometimes, that baby milk factory is really a baby milk factory.
It’s exactly the same reason that spy satellites could never replace human intelligence gathering, sometimes it’s better to have a man (or woman) on the ground equipped with their vastly superior ability to adapt to changing environments and get into places where technology just can’t.
That’s not to say that human assassins are infalliable. Sometimes even the best extra-judicial killers in the world get it dreadfully wrong.
Szlater writes:
> That Alexander Fleming was pretty awesome, although I bet he was a bit upset
> that Ian Fleming generally gets credit for creating James Bond.
Alexander Fleming had a license to kill bacteria.
[QUOTE=mks57]
I was told by an ex-AF guy that they had orders to shoot anyone who crossed the yellow circle that was painted around aircraft that were on alert, presumably with nuclear weapons on board.
I’ve seen these circles at several Air Force bases, complete with markings that say “use of deadly force is authorized”.
A television documentary on SAC mentioned that Gen. LeMay issued orders that everyone on the flight line was to be armed, even maintenance personnel.
[/QUOTE]
The circles are where they park the planes. I have seen them at every Air Force base I have been to. Someone else can come and say if they are used every where. Yes they are used as do not cross lines. My major (army) didn’t get shot when he crossed the line to get a better look. He did wind up face down on the tarmac with a M16 pointed at the back of his head.
[QUOTE=Bear_Nenno]
The military, on the other hand, does teach the use of warning shots when appropriate. Military police will also carry their pistol with no round in the chamber and the weapon on SAFE. Whereas, every civilian agency I know of trains to have a round in the chamber and the safety off.
I even know of an officer (police officer, I mean) who was fired for repeatedly not having a round in her chamber on duty.
[/QUOTE]
I’m sure policies vary widely depending on branches and duty stations. My dad was in the USAF back in the 70s, and he told me stories of getting put on guard duty in Turkey with an M9 and no ammunition. More recently, I (a comm guy in the AF) went through a 5 day police training crash course before a brief stint as a police augmentee (military police/security forces are in short supply thanks to their higher importance overseas). When I carried an M16, it was safety-on no-round, thanks to the M16’s provocation to discharge at the slightest bump. But the M9 I carried round-chambered, safety-off. If they let a desk jockey with 5 days training carry like that, I’m guessing most military police do as well.
Scared the crap out of me, but I trusted that they knew what they were doing.
[QUOTE=Colibri]
And, if it is “a” license to kill, is one required to get a learner’s permit first?
[/QUOTE]
Yes, but with that you’re only allowed to kick someone in the nuts. And only during daylight hours.
[QUOTE=steronz]
I’m sure policies vary widely depending on branches and duty stations. My dad was in the USAF back in the 70s, and he told me stories of getting put on guard duty in Turkey with an M9 and no ammunition. More recently, I (a comm guy in the AF) went through a 5 day police training crash course before a brief stint as a police augmentee (military police/security forces are in short supply thanks to their higher importance overseas). When I carried an M16, it was safety-on no-round, thanks to the M16’s provocation to discharge at the slightest bump. But the M9 I carried round-chambered, safety-off. If they let a desk jockey with 5 days training carry like that, I’m guessing most military police do as well.
Scared the crap out of me, but I trusted that they knew what they were doing.
[/QUOTE]
I’m guessing it’s because the OPTEMPO is probably higher over in Turkey. I’ve watched Security Forces guys turn their pistols in after their shift at local CONUS installations. They removed the magazine and locked the slide to the rear before entering the arms room. There was no free round flying out, IOW no round in the chamber.
It would be nice to be wrong here, though. I’d be happy to learn that military police are doing something that makes more sense.