h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

"Yes but..." At least you said "yes"

I'm not going to rehash my point any more. I think I've made as much of a contribution to this thread as I'm capable of.

See ya around, TBTPM


Geoff

I think the military has been cut down enough for right now. I think it would be wise to restructure the military. I was sort of hoping that President Bush would get to that, but this 9/11 thing has everyone side tracked. If we could thin out the staff and REMF's, I think we could probably do more with a less.

If they can come up with a robaot to do mine work I'm all for it. I hate mines. I support the use of them, but mines are awful things to have to work with. God bless those poor dumb engineers that have to place and clear them. I don't want anything to do with them, and I was an explosive ordnance disposal techincian.

After some of the things I've heard about the engineers, the robots would probably be a bit smarter too.

As far as robots fighting, I'm not all that scared of them. I think it will be some time before we can get the AI to have them be autonomous. I don't see a risk of them going of and killing the wrong people.

In EOD we have been using robots to work with bombs already. They're a nice tool, but they have a way to go. I'm hoiping with shows like Battle Bots that the technology for robot manuevrability and their ability to manipulate stuff that we'll see the rate of improvements accelrateing.

I think shows like Battle Bots and Robot Wars were created for just that reason - they've already come up with innovations, like the self-righting mechanism, that just hadn't occurred to the NASA engineers.

I'd love to be able to build robots, but I just don't have the technical know-how. It still doesn't keep me from drawing diagrams every time I watch Robot Wars, though!

I've been trying to figure out how to do legs on a robot. My dream design is basically a spider with retractable legs and some sort of drill in the base, and probably a pneumatic spike on an arm. That way it could sit down on the other robot and drill into it, or use the spike to punch holes in the other thing. Of course, since my metals, machines, and robotics class isn't doing any robotics, I probably won't have a chance to do anything like this, but it's fun desigining.

I think, like two-bit said, robots will at first be used to clear mines. They're ideal for the purpose. I think they will eventually be used in combat situations. I'm not quite sure how, as it's impossible to predict the technology of the future. One possibility is "pilotless planes", controlled from a headquarters in the home State.

"(Anybody ever play Speedball?)"



"Ice Cream! Ice Cream!"

I hope I don't offend anyone, but I thought infantrymen were *supposed* to be like robots - surely officers don't want the grunts *thinking* for themselves? Shock Horror Probe!

But you have an Empire! Perhaps even an Evil Empire!

"It works less well when you're the sole surviving super power."

Another definition of 'sole surviving superpower would be... Guess what.. how about EMPIRE!?

"And it makes the military into a killing machine, which isn't what it's for."

Exsqueeze me, Lentilla - then what *is* it for?

America does not have an empire. It has economic and political influence over certain countries. If it had an empire it wouldn't need the permission of the Saudi Government (one of those nations over which it has influence) to station troops there.

Regarding "pilotless planes"; they already exist. They flew reconnaisance over Afghanistan, and rumour has it that a few of them launched missiles as well.

I kid you not.

It's not rumor that the remotly piloted planes have been armed and have launched missiles. It's been widly reported in the press. A CIA RPV armed with a Hellfire missile engaged several people on a hill top. It was speculated at one point that one of the guys it killed may have been Osama bin Laden.

"I hope I don't offend anyone, but I thought infantrymen were *supposed* to be like robots - surely officers don't want the grunts *thinking* for themselves? Shock Horror Probe!"

That shows your complete ignorance of the miliary. Infantrymen to have to follow orders, but they also have to be able to think and act indepentently. That's been one of the hallmarks of success for the American Army. If Americans soldiers are cut off from their leaders, they are briefed on the mission and they can carry on.

"A CIA RPV armed with a Hellfire missile engaged several people on a hill top"

Sorry, but this has put me in mind of a bunch of Taliban fighters fighting hand-to-hand with a missile.

"A CIA RPV armed with a Hellfire missile engaged several people on a hill top"

Sorry, but this has put me in mind of a bunch of Taliban fighters fighting hand-to-hand with a missile.

Della:

I've always seen the military as the 'big stick' - if it's necessary to use the stick, then somebody's failed somewhere. The military does all sorts of jobs - destroying bridges to prevent transport, disabling resources like water and electricity, bombing the occasional innocent pharmaceutical plant, etc.

Heck, don't ask me. I wish we didn't have to have an army. Military experts, speak up: is it the primary purpose of the military to kill people?

The purpose of the military has changed over the years.

100 years ago, the British army was for conquest, defence of the Motherland and occassionally policing the Empire. Now it's role is mainly as a peacekeeper (Afghanistan (although our role there is very small) being an exception).

Armies can keep the peace as well as break them

In my view the primary purpose of the military is to make war. Usually that means killing people. It might not always mean that.

There are little side jobs that it does. For instance, the Army fights forest fires and builds things around the world. It helps to practice deploying, planning, and to employ certain skills.

Two-Bit, in my view, it is a terrible shame to the human race and our so-called civilisation, that an institution exists, which has as its purpose to commit (sorry, wage) war! Killing people is by no means justified, and never can be justified. Ever. period.

It's arguably never "justified", Della, but it's sometimes necessary

If we hadn't killed all those German soldiers in the 1940s, we'd be living under a government that murders people for having funny eyes or the wrong shade of skin colour.

I'm concerned about probelms in the real world where real people are killed. If you ask someone to stand between them and you without the ability to kill you create martyrs rather than murderers. I'd far rather be the later.

It may be a shame, but it is necisary and it is moral and justified.