> <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >Date: Thu, 9 Nov 2000 13:14:28 +0100 > >List-Id: Radical anti-capitalist environmental discussion. >>From the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung: > >www.faz.com > >Man-Made Weather: A Weapon of the Future? > >By Nico Stehr > >DELMENHORST. At the recent Fifth German Climate Conference, a climate expert >and I gave a joint paper on man-made climate disasters that were threatening >man in historic times. After we had spoken, a participant approached us and >told us about research carried out by the U.S. Air Force. The findings were >reported back in 1996 but have since been generally ignored. The research >paper is available at www.au.af.mil/au/2025/ on the Web. > >All past climate catastrophes caused by man pale in comparison to the >study's findings, which are but a taste of things to come in the next >quarter century. He who controls the weather, controls the world. > >In 1977, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution prohibiting the >hostile use of environmental modification techniques. The resulting >convention (ENMOD, Convention on the Prohibition of Military or Any Other >Hostile Use of Environmental Modification Technique) committed the >signatories -- which include the United States -- to refrain from any >military or other hostile use of weather-modification that could result in >widespread, long-lasting or severe effects on the economy and society. In >the 1996 study, seven military officers considered how the weather might be >used as a weapon. Their task was to ensure that the United States remained >the dominant power in aviation and space travel in the year 2025. The study >concludes that America's airborne military forces can "own" and control the >weather. This would promote the development of new technology, and that >technology will provide the "warriors of the future" with undreamt-of >resources for controlling the course of military conflicts, the study >concludes. > >The byword here is weather modification, in the sense of increasing or >decreasing the intensity of natural phenomena. Taken to an extreme, this >could include creating entirely new weather phenomena (made-to-order >weather) and include manipulation of the global climate. But because of the >probable conflict with the ENMOD convention, the study concentrates on >influencing weather processes in geographic areas only up to 2,000 square >kilometers (800 square miles). What is at stake becomes clear when the >authors of the research paper talk of a dilemma akin to that once faced by >the pioneers of nuclear research. They stress that only those who are >prepared to capitulate strategically could want to renounce the military use >of weather modification. > >But what are the technologies that will give those who control them in the >next 30 years the means for planning weather and actually creating weather >patterns? Weather control techniques -- some already exist -- can be >improved in four ways: by using complex non-linear modeling systems, >increasing computing capacity, improved data collection and transmission, >and by the creation of a globally operative military weather network. > >Specific operations to curtail an opponent's operating ability and improve >one's own could include manipulation of precipitation, storms and fog, but >could also involve controlling the ionosphere to guarantee dominance of >worldwide communication. The research paper does not yet speak of >controlling temperature. > >The report explains how military encounters could be decided through weather >manipulation. It cites the following example: It is the year 2025 and a >South American drug cartel has purchased hundreds of Russian and Chinese >fighter planes. So far, the drug barons have been able to protect their >production facilities from every attack. The cartel controls the skies and >is able to launch 10 of its own planes for each American fighter. It also >has a sophisticated French air defense system. Despite all this, the >American military want to engage the enemy. > >The air force meteorologists are to play a crucial role. They point out to >the air force that there is a thunderstorm nearly every afternoon in the >equatorial regions of South America. The U.S. Secret Service knows that the >cartel pilots are reluctant to fly in or near thunderstorms. So the weather >force support element is tasked not only to forecast storm paths, but also >to trigger or intensify thunderstorms over critical target areas. And as >U.S. fighters fly in any type of weather, they are able to snatch control of >the skies from the enemy. Moreover, it is likely the air force will >routinely use unmanned drones to manipulate the weather by 2025. > >These operations will be supported by highly developed, sophisticated >technologies for data collection, weather forecasting and weather >manipulation. The unmanned craft can spread cirrus clouds over areas of >military deployment. Not only does this deprive people on the ground of a >clear view, it also prevents them from using their infrared equipment >properly. While microwave heaters create local zones of destructive >interference to restrict the use of radar-controlled equipment, the >naturally occurring thunderstorm is artificially intensified. It is all part >of the game plan. The weather force support element watches the complete >operation and reports another -- by now routine -- successful deployment of >the weather weapon. > >It is therefore not only possible, but highly likely that such systematic >weather modification will become a potent, accurate and globally available >weapon of war. It could be used in all conceivable conflicts. Weather is not >only everywhere: It is at the same time the most implacable enemy of the >ruled and of the rulers, as this report illustrates. In future, the weather >may be party to a conflict. > >Systematic attempts to influence the weather by technical means have existed >for a considerable time. However, these efforts have not been particularly >successful so far, for example attempts to control precipitation in arid >areas or during droughts. Rainmaking is certainly possible in certain >situations. But these situations are rare and not easy to control -- given >the complexity of weather systems. The authors of the U.S. Air Force >research paper were clearly aware of these facts. Thus, they speak of >significant and fast progress in our understanding of the variables that >affect weather. They are certain that by 2025, it should be possible to >identify and parameterize all important weather factors. The authors also >say there must be quick and meaningful technical progress so that >micro-meteorology can develop into a discipline that is technically sound >and practical. As things now stand, implementing the report's ideas appears >utopian and expensive. Furthermore, that implementation could be hindered by >initiating contrary processes. > >The major significance of the weather for the living conditions of a rapidly >growing world population could, however, also cause appropriate resources to >be provided for research into improving our knowledge of the weather. >Summing up: It is likely that by 2025, man will have taken the step from >scenario planning to effective weather modification. The military uses of >this knowledge are obvious. > >Nico Stehr is a Fellow of the Hanse Institute for Advanced Study in >Delmenhorst. > > > > > >_______________________________________________ >Rad-Green mailing list >[EMAIL PROTECTED] >To change your options or unsubscribe go to: >http://lists.wwpublish.com/mailman/listinfo/rad-green > _______________________________________________________ KOMINFORM P.O. 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