Dolphins Battle Against Saddam

Post-9/11 Era Forum

This is K-Dog, the coalition forces' most surprising weapon against Iraq.

http://us.news2.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/ap/20030325/capt.1048574661.iraq_us_military_war_nywd105.jpg

With a camera strapped to his fin, the bottle-nose dolphin is one of about 100 dolphins and sea lions helping to clear shipping lanes in the Gulf to ensure a safe passage for vessels, including those which will provide humanitarian relief.

K-Dog and his handler Sgt Andrew Garrett are part of a multinational team, CTU-55.4.3, consisting of Naval Special Clearance Team One, Britain's Fleet Diving Unit Three, Australia's Clearance Dive Team, and two Explosive Ordnance Disposal units.

A Pentagon spokesman said: "The team works in both deep and shallow waters, looking for mines and marking them. Dolphins have been used like this by the US Navy for more than 30 years, and have proved themselves more reliable than robots."

He said that unlike robots, the dolphins did not run out of power, nor did they go missing or have problems communicating from the sea bed.

Source: This Is London

Here's what PETA has to say:

"Our troops deserve the best defense possible, but PETA opposes the use of dolphins, sea lions, or any other marine mammals. The project is cruel and cannot provide a reliable defense or surveillance for our troops. The Navy claims they are not putting these animals in harm's way, but they've removed these animals from their homes, relocated them to foreign waters in the Persian Gulf, and are forcing them to not only inspect the waters, but to actually swim up to potential terrorists under the water, clamp a cuff on their leg, and deploy a floating marker. How can anyone say these animals are not being put in harm's way?

The bottom line is that dolphins cannot provide a reliable defense. These are living beings with minds of their own, and though they are incredibly intelligent, they have no idea that lives will be lost if they fail to perform tasks properly. Yet, the military wants to rely on the actions of these animals in order to protect our troops. Our troops deserve the best defense possible and this isn't it. The animals and our troops deserve better."

I can see the headline now....


"Sea creatures side with America as the coalition grows"

When asked what their position in this matter was, the representitive said "EEEEEE..EEE..EEEAAAAAEEEEE".

Back to you Jim.

Fox News, latest report:

Dolphinia, the largest dolphin nation in the Atlantic Ocean, has thrown its support behind the US/UK coalition citing egregious marine mammal abuses in the Persian Gulf after Saddam spilled oil into the gulf and is planning to mind the gulf to endanger other marine mammal life.

Sharky Sharkland leader Jaws contest this view saying that electric eel weapons of mass pollution inspectors have not found credible evidence suggesting Saddam is planning to empty oil into the Persian Gulf. Dolphinia accuses Sharky Sharkland of having vested economic interests in the gulf citing feeding pens for sharks where Iraqi civilians are used as shark feed.

The Underwater Security Council is divided on this issue.

haha.. neat.

I don't think this is animal cruelty. Humans have domesticated millions of cats and dogs and removed them from their natural habitat and forced them to perform ridiculously degrading tricks - I don't see this as any different. PETA doen't complain about livestock slaughtering for feeding people, nor about the road-kill hazards to squirrels, raccoons, oppossums, armadillos, deer, etc that automobiles pose on a daily basis.

It's a dumb objection IMO..

I actually have an affinity for animals and I think many animals are cruelly mistreated by humans. I am against most forms of animal testing and object to the way animals are treated when being raised for slaughter. However, if an animal must die to save a human life then so be it.

Sean, there's nothing like fresh roadkill. Whenever I'm up in northern Ontario I usually run across carcasses of dead deer who have been dead for less than 24 hours. I load 'em into the truck and barbecue at my cottage. Mmmmm...

Personally, I think the idea behind it is very cool. They speak to the dolphins and they respond through the use of sonar - not sure how in the world it's done...but a neat concept in itself.

Good the dolphins hate Saddam too, They should bite him in the crotch if he escapes and tries to make a swim for it in the ocean.

AFTER DOLPHINS, GEORGE BUSH PLANS ON RELEASING SUICIDE BOMB TURKEYS IN BAGHDAD

Another "how cute" story that tells a lot on how the western media see this war.

- see this soldier ? he really seems to love the pets ! he surely would not able to kill innocent lives !

- see how our high-tech weapons show that we are in the civilised camp ! nothing to do with this barbarian chemical WMD sovietic scuds !

- see how the nicest creature of god kindly work for freedom with us ?

I just have 1 question : will these animals support sand-storms around Baghdad ?

Jeopardy:

"You lost me" for 600 Alex.

Bebert - - the "western media" wasn't saying this - it's also listed in the BBC and other "European" media areas. they were just showing something that is actually fairly interesting that much of the public does not know.

I didn't come up with the whole
"- see this soldier ? he really seems to love the pets ! he surely would not able to kill innocent lives "
Any public body believing this upon seeing this picture needs to think a little harder. Just because a soldier loves his pet doesn't mean he won't fight when needed.
Logic and common sense explain this.

Wonderful. I have been wondering, who poor bastard is going to be put for mine clearing work at the oilfields, but no more. Next intelligent creatures after dolphins will do that. I don´t mean people, but chimpanzees

I think if you look closely at this news item it gives you an interesting perspective on the psychology of war.

Dolphins have always been associated with friendship. Use them for war purposes and on the Iraq side, what option will they have but to try to find and kill them? Which makes for excellent propaganda against Iraq. I can already see the headlines

"Ruthless dictator slaughters 'cute pearl', the first US Dolphine hero"

Yeah !
- Do you see how Iraq is always associated with WMD although no proof were found ?
- Do you see how the US are now associated with dolphins, while sending tons of bombs ont Iraqi towns ?

bebert - I under stand this. I made a 4.0 for 7 years in english and understand the fallacies.
They've been using Dolphins for 30 years - it's nothing new.
I was just saying i think it's interesting the way they use them.
you need to learn to read what i'm saying because you misread my words and turned them around to create an argument from a simple comment.
That, in itseslf, is a fallacy.

Personally, I think you are all reading way too much into an article.

Think of this in a very down to earth manner for an instant. You have hundreds of reporters around the combat all of which must write stories or not get paid. Now with so much coverage I bet it is hard to get a report on something new, actually it is obvious since I hear the same story retold every day 40 times.

So, one reporter is chatting with some military guys and he says "Oh and overthere is the dolphin squad", I can easily see this happening ...

reporter "dolphin squad? is that a nickname?"
soldier, "Oh no, it is an actual dolphin squad with real dolphins"
reporter thinks, let me check this out.
The reporter sees a bunch of dolphins in the middle of a war zone and is like CHA CHING! a Story!

I really bet that is what really happened here, but you can keep making conspiracy theories if you wish.