The Los Angeles Times reports the U.S. military equipping thousands of M-4 rifles with a laser device to "dazzle" the vision of drivers who get too close to troops:
Lt. Col. Richard Smith, deputy director of the Joint NonLethal Weapons Directorate at the Pentagon, said Wednesday that the deployment of the laser, which has been under development for a decade, marked an important milestone for nonlethal weapons."This is really the first time the visually overwhelming devices have actually been used," Smith said. "This was based off needs of war fighters and commanders in the field. They have several incidents a day where a vehicle is coming at a group of soldiers…. These dazzlers can reach out a couple hundred meters and give solders added security."
It is hoped that use of the lasers will eliminate incidents in which soldiers shoot in an attempt to stop vehicles that come too close:
Army Sgt. Brendan Woolworth was one of the first soldiers to try the green laser. He said an Iraqi driver got too close to his convoy about 90 days ago and failed to heed shouts to stop. The soldier directed a pulsing beam at the car's windshield."He pulled off to the side of the road and stopped," Woolworth said. "He got the message. It looked like he just hadn't been paying attention."
The lasers do pose a risk of permanent damage, but the military has decided bullets are less safe. Warding off suicide attacks and accidental shootings is worth the risk.
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