or Powell's or me• • •
"Mike and Jon, Jon and Mike—I've known them both for years, and, clearly, one of them is very funny. As for the other: truly one of the great hangers-on of our time."—Steve Bodow, head writer, The Daily Show
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"Who can really judge what's funny? If humor is a subjective medium, then can there be something that is really and truly hilarious? Me. This book."—Daniel Handler, author, Adverbs, and personal representative of Lemony Snicket
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"The good news: I thought Our Kampf was consistently hilarious. The bad news: I’m the guy who wrote Monkeybone."—Sam Hamm, screenwriter, Batman, Batman Returns, and Homecoming
August 09, 2007
How Interesting
I'm not surprised at all to hear this, in an article by Uri Avnery, but it's still interesting:
Some days ago, one of our generals revealed on television that under an American-Israeli agreement, the Israeli army is obliged to report to the American military establishment on the effectiveness of all kinds of arms. For example: the accuracy of "smart" bombs and the performance of airplanes, missiles, drones, tanks, and all the other instruments of destruction in our wars.Every "targeted killing" in Gaza or use of fragmentation bombs in Lebanon serves also as a test. The leveling of a neighborhood in Beirut, the death of women and children as "collateral damage," the ongoing amputation of limbs by fragmentation bombs in south Lebanon – all these are statistical facts that are important for American arms manufacturers to know, so they can improve their merchandise.
I'd really like to know more about the specifics of how this happens, and whether it's unique to arms sales to Israel or whether we have the same agreement with other countries.
Posted at August 9, 2007 01:59 PM | TrackBackI wonder if the US gets any useful data out of this arrangement given that the Israelis use their weapons more or less indiscriminately and lack the honesty to say so.
You don't learn much about the CEP of a laser guided bomb if makes an intended direct hit on an ambulance but the whole incident is reported as a 'mistake.'
Posted by: Swedish Chef at August 11, 2007 03:49 AMI wonder if the US gets any useful data out of this arrangement given that the Israelis use their weapons more or less indiscriminately and lack the honesty to say so.
You don't learn much about the CEP of a laser guided bomb if makes an intended direct hit on an ambulance but the whole incident is reported as a stray bomb.
Posted by: Swedish Chef at August 11, 2007 03:49 AM
