Canadian military to dazzle Afghans with lasers?

The Canadian military is looking at purchasing systems known as laser dazzlers for use against Afghans who would get too close to military convoys. The devices are capable of temporarily blinding people, serving as a warning not to approach military checkpoints or vehicles.

The Canadian Forces hope the use of dazzlers would reduce the number of times troops have to fire upon vehicles whose drivers have failed to heed warnings to stop or not to come any closer.

Canada should hold off equipping its soldiers in Afghanistan with laser weapons until the systems can be tested to ensure they can't inadvertently blind civilians or harm the troops using them, says an Ottawa-based think-tank.

Anthony Salloum, program director of the Rideau Institute, said the devices fall into the same category as tasers as they are untested and could inadvertently harm innocent people.

 
In addition, Canada has signed an agreement, as part of the Geneva Conventions, that requires the testing of new weapons to ensure they do not violate international treaties, said Salloum, whose organization has been critical of the government's management of the Afghan mission.

 
He noted testing hasn't been done in the case of the laser dazzlers.