The scenario is a Joint Task Force (JTF) deployed to provide humanitarian assistance to a third world nation that is experiencing famine and internal unrest. A military roadblock is set to protect the entrance to a United States (US) Embassy. A civilian vehicle careens down a dirt road and approaches the roadblock at a high rate of speed. As the vehicle crashes through the gate, the troops open fire, killing three civilians including a small child. Afterwards, inspection shows the vehicle's brakes failed and that the occupants were an unarmed, innocent family.
Word of this incident spreads rapidly and a large crowd of locals in line to receive food-aid becomes agitated and begins chanting anti-US slogans. Although the majority of individuals in the crowd
are unarmed women, children, and elderly, some have weapons and fire shots into the air. The crowd moves forward (see Figure 1). The commander has the options of using lethal force or
retreating. Charged with protecting the embassy, he orders the troops to fire, killing five civilians. Shots are returned. Were there other alternatives?
Non-Lethal weaponry is used to keep a situation under control. When others see the pain a person
is put through after being hit by pepper spray or a bean bag bullet they sometimes back off, and even
if the police have to use it on then no one dies. Deaths caused by police cause even more unrest
then the crimes that are committed themselves, and since sometimes handicapped people or others that
can be saved are killed, a lot of people don't disagree with killing a person who doesn't know any better
and non lethal weapons are the best answer.
