2017-04-24 at 6:08 AM UTC
in
Conflict Shitpile
aldra
JIDF Controlled Opposition
Also, they've had potent chemical weapons for a long time - they definitely have standard nerve agents and delivery systems, and given the secrecy surrounding their military capabilities they could well have a lot more.
Assuming they're not yet able to deliver nuclear weapons on missiles, they're likely using chemical weapons in their place and it stands to reason that THAT is what their submarines are armed with.
2017-04-24 at 6:05 AM UTC
in
Conflict Shitpile
aldra
JIDF Controlled Opposition
Yeah, seems unlikely. I had a look around, none of the rumours seem to have any real backing - they're just guesses based on the US' propensity to turn training exercises into actual 'events'.
That said I'm not certain NK even has the capability to deliver nukes via missile at this point - I'd be far more worried about nuclear weapons being transported on boats or trucks or whatnot. There'd be little that could be done to stop a nuclear bomb if it were brought in on a container ship - it could be detonated at the dock before the ship's even been inspected and still do catastrophic damage.
2017-04-24 at 5:09 AM UTC
in
Conflict Shitpile
aldra
JIDF Controlled Opposition
KOREA - I read something interesting today - apparently US/SK have been attempting to deepen NK's famine for decades by staging their 'joint exercises' during rice harvest season every year. NK could not sit idly by with such a concentration of military forces on their border, simulating an attack on NK of all things, so they're forced to call many people who would otherwise be participating in the harvest into temporary military service.
SYRIA - Things are getting ever more complicated and I need to read into specific instances to get a clear picture of what's going on, but it seems the escalation of infighting between rebel groups is an expression of infighting among their backers.
1. Turkey is funding and training an FSA unit specifically to fight the SDF (Kurdish Militias)
2. The co-ordination of attacks from multiple rebel groups in an attempt to stop the SAA's advance on Homs strongly indicates a level of co-operation between ISIS and groups falling under Al-Qaeda (most of them). As I mentioned earlier they may in fact be trying to pool their forces.
3. Israel bombed more SAA positions in/near the Golan, presumably to support the AQ assholes they were engaging.
4. There's a lot of shady business going on with the Gulf states and the 4 Towns Agreement but I'm only hearing bits and pieces at the moment.
2017-04-22 at 6:31 PM UTC
in
HR geiger
aldra
JIDF Controlled Opposition
I like some of his work but he's way too fascinated with dicks
aldra
JIDF Controlled Opposition
I think attaching a dollar value to 'justice' is inherently ignoble
aldra
JIDF Controlled Opposition
lol, 100g of heroin in your pocket and you're concerned about paying for groceries...
aldra
JIDF Controlled Opposition
I was going to post this in the shitpile but it's a little longer than usual and directly related to this topic.
The OPCW, the 'Chemical Weapons Watchdog' (a subgroup of the UN) is responsible for investigating the chemical weapons attack in Idlib. The Syrian government has requested on multiple occasions for them to deploy an investigation team to the site, but their requests have largely been ignored. Iran and Russia have written a joint resolution calling for an international team of experts to be deployed immediately, but the resolution has been roundly rejected by the US and several EU states.
The supposed reasoning behind the rejection is that 'there is already an investigation underway and starting another will undermine confidence in the OPCW investigation team'.
The OPCW has indeed opened an investigation, but 10 days later a team has still not visited the site. They're presently performing tests on tissue samples from the dead and injured, but have refused to detail how they came to be in possession of those samples - it seems likely that they were initially collected by the White Helmets, Al-Qaeda by another name as the site is under rebel control and no other parties have reported being there.
The OPCW investigators have come to the 'incontrivertible' (and very carefully worded) conclusion that the samples contain sarin, or a sarin-like substance. This implies two things:
1. The chemical found is not pure sarin; it may be a similar nerve agent or it may be an organophosphate compound that hasn't been fully processed yet
2. It doesn't posit that the 'sarin' was the only toxic compound found or was found in levels high enough to be lethal.
It's possible that they still need to do further testing for more precise results, but it seems unlikely given the timeframe and urgency of the situation. If the chemical is a nonspecific organophosphate and/or combined with other toxic agents, it supports the initial Russian/SAA claim that deaths were the result of an airstrike unknowingly hitting a rebel chemical; storage facility. It could also mean that the compound was not properly synthesized, again pointing away from the SAA's previously-surrendered lab-manufactured stocks.
I'm presently unable to find any further information as the OPCW has not published much information on the matter and most news sites are only presenting the part of the issue that supports their case.
The most objective analysis I can present is this: The OPCW has received tissue samples from chemical weapons victims (living and dead) through unknown channels and has determined that they contain traces of nerve agents. They have avoided performing an investigation on-location for safety fears as the site is deep within rebel-held territory. Russia and Iran are unsatisfied with their methodology so far and have tried to establish a new investigation, but their attempts have been stifled by the US and EU who likely fear losing control of it.
The investigation, as it stands, in inconclusive. Even if it were, the chain of custody for evidence would have to be documented before it could be accepted as fact.
2017-04-21 at 5:16 AM UTC
in
Could you kill someone?
aldra
JIDF Controlled Opposition
I think so, the real barrier would be justifying or rationalising it to myself. In the case of self-defence, ie. a clear threat I don't think I'd hesitate much.
2017-04-21 at 4:58 AM UTC
in
open world/sandbox
aldra
JIDF Controlled Opposition
I loved 7 Days to Die for a while, but the devs are full blown mongoloids. It's been in beta for like 5 years or so and there are still unfixed bugs from the original release, nevermind the new ones introduced every patch (which only happens once every few months anyway).
2017-04-21 at 4:38 AM UTC
in
Conflict Shitpile
aldra
JIDF Controlled Opposition
LEBANON - Unverified reports of Israeli warplanes active on the Lebanese side of the border. Earlier today media were invited to tour the border and inspect Hezbullah defences.
2017-04-21 at 4:11 AM UTC
in
Conflict Shitpile
aldra
JIDF Controlled Opposition
SYRIA - Saw some interesting info on the IEDs being demined in Aleppo and Palmyra -
In Aleppo almost all of the explosives were tripwire-triggered, whereas in Palmyra the vast majority were attached to pressure plates. In both zones there were some (relatively few) IEDs that appear to have been specifically designed to kill sappers - they were triggered by radio waves; ie. set off by a soldier or emergency worker's radio, presumeably set to only trigger when the signal is high (close) enough.
FYI most of the sappers are contractors, not regular military, and a significant number have died since Palmyra was retaken.
