Musings

As the fighting surges in Somalia, it is a little-known fact that U.S. Special Forces conduct operations there in support of the legitimate nascent government set up with the help of the United Nations. These highly trained warriors are excellent at sneaking up on perps (after all, we learned a lot by sneaking up on Native Americans—masters of the ambush), but once our troops open fire, they are subject to retaliation in kind. Battles become problematic in a hurry.

A better weapon system is needed by these elite forces.

It occurred to me that such a system might be found in using Saxitoxin derived from a poisonous crab family (Xanthidae, Order Decapoda). It is a chemical so potent that a single crab could kill thousands of adult humans, and the crabs are easy to procure and process. Heat stable and water soluble, Saxitoxin is the perfect poison. As Saxitoxin spreads through the body, it gradually paralyses the muscles. When the toxin reached the muscles that help us to breath, the victim slowly suffocates. It is extremely difficult to detect post mortem.

In fact, the CIA used this toxin for their suicide pills produced in the 1970’s.

Now, taking a lesson from the Matis and Yagua native Amazonian tribes, we equip our soldiers with very tiny darts disguised as a common biting insect found in the Somalia bush, and blowguns made of two-meter lengths of bamboo. Our agents simply infiltrate the bad guy’s jungle camp or hideout in the city, administer an annoying insect bite from as much as forty meters away, and sneak off to a safe location after the supply of ready-made darts is exhausted.

The beauty of this tactic is that the enemy doesn’t even know he has been attacked. Of course, after a few devastating attacks take place, our Psyops folks would begin spreading rumors about vengeful spirits and so forth among the local population.

I guarantee that this type of operation would be highly successful and discourage further recruitment by the insurgents. And, the best part is that the weapon system would cost a pittance. No need for expensive firearms and ammunition, except for full-tilt defensive fire-fights back at the base camp.