War is good for snake oil

True, it is immoral to sell something like that, but I have to wonder how dumb the Iraqis can be for not testing it. I mean, does the Iraqi government not have a few explosives kicking around to do a rudimentary test? A Darwinist could argue that killing off stupid people isn't all bad.
 
Glaucus said:
True, it is immoral to sell something like that, but I have to wonder how dumb the Iraqis can be for not testing it. I mean, does the Iraqi government not have a few explosives kicking around to do a rudimentary test? A Darwinist could argue that killing off stupid people isn't all bad.
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Yes, and no. Allowing stupid people to help kill off people who are merely being obedient to their superiors and people who actually have no input into the decision making at all doesn't seem to work. The stupid people who made the decisions are unharmed - may even benefit. There may be some kick-backs and greased palms involved. There are probably some well lubricated connections because I don't think Joe Blow could walk in off the street and get these kind of contracts. There are probably some politicians or politically connected people in the mix too. The margins are certainly high enough to produce a flow of palm grease.
 
Yes I thought of that, but then why is Maliki conducting a big investigation into it? Wouldn't he just brush it under the rug if people are starting to catch on? And also, aren't those bomb detectors also protecting him to some degree? But you're right, kickbacks are always a possibility. And of course I wasn't all that serious about that darwinism bit.
 
Glaucus said:
Yes I thought of that, but then why is Maliki conducting a big investigation into it? Wouldn't he just brush it under the rug if people are starting to catch on?
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In politics there are two reasons to hold a public investigation.
1) To find something.
2) To hide something.

The best way to hide something is to have a big and lengthy investigation that in the end "finds" that there was nothing to find.

And also, aren't those bomb detectors also protecting him to some degree?
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How can they be since they are pure flim flam and cannot possibly work? If anything they are endangering him because the soldiers ant the checkpoints may THINK that there is no threat if the "device" doesn't find one and _couldn't_ if a car was loaded to the roof with TNT.

However, it wouldn't have to involve Maliki directly. He or the government would have delegated the procurement of security to
the relevant ministry and its staff.
 
A just punishment would be for him to walk through a 10 mile mine field, armed only with one of his own "bomb detectors".
 
I think the last paragrpah sums it up:

Iraqis who have suffered from bombings are angry at the "fiasco" surrounding the devices. Hakim al-Safi, a 48-year-old teacher whose son Haidar died in the October bombings, said: "I am angry. I do not know who I am angry with more, the people who made these stupid things and then made money or our government officials who paid so much money for these things which failed to protect us. And the British Government, did they not know what was being done from their land?"
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What a great way to gain trust.
 
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