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posted by mrpg on Monday December 17 2018, @03:39AM   Printer-friendly
from the business-as-usual dept.

How the global trade in tear gas is booming

Non-lethal weapons are a multibillion-dollar-a-year business and the industry seems to be growing. The industry could be worth more than $9bn by 2022, according to Allied Market Research, a company that does industry forecasting. [Combined Systems, Inc (CSI)] supplies not only Egypt, but also Israel, Bahrain and US police departments, like the one in Ferguson, Missouri.

According to Amnesty International and internal letters published by the Egypt Independent newspaper, Combined Systems, Inc shipped tens of thousands of rounds of tear gas to the Egyptian government between 2011 and 2013, even as the crackdown on protesters became more deadly. The backlash against tear gas grew as more was sent to the country. After a particularly brutal series of clashes in 2011, dock workers in Suez refused a shipment of tear gas from CSI, saying they did not want to participate in further pain or death.

"Almost everywhere [that] we see images of large-scale protest, we will see on the streets a Combined Systems, Inc product," said Anna Feigenbaum, who wrote a book on the history of tear gas.

It's a common name for a family of chemical irritants, not actually gases, but fine powders dispersed by spray or aerosol. Tear gas doesn't just make your eyes water; it causes a burning sensation, difficulty breathing, chest pain and skin irritation. It can lead to nausea and vomiting. It's considered a chemical weapon.

[...] The 1993 Chemical Weapons Convention banned the use of tear gas in war, but many countries, including the US, still deploy it against domestic uprisings and unrest. Worldwide, the use of tear gas seems to be on the rise, but governments don't track its use so getting hard numbers can be difficult. [...] [Protesters] have died from tear gas - in Egypt, in Gaza, in Bahrain. Some died from asphyxiation, when gas was fired in too concentrated a dose in too small a space. And some died from the canisters themselves.


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  • (Score: 2, Interesting) by realDonaldTrump on Monday December 17 2018, @05:41PM

    by realDonaldTrump (6614) on Monday December 17 2018, @05:41PM (#775462) Homepage Journal

    The country of Iran, as an example, is responsible for a bloody proxy war against Saudi Arabia in Yemen, trying to destabilize Iraq’s fragile attempt at democracy, supporting the terror group Hezbollah in Lebanon, propping up Animal dictator Bashar Assad in Syria (who has killed millions of his own citizens), and much more. Likewise, the Iranians have killed many Americans and other innocent people throughout the Middle East. Iran states openly, and with great force, "Death to America!" and "Death to Israel!" Iran is considered the world’s "leading" sponsor of terror.

    On the other hand, we have Saudi Arabia. Possibly the safest place in the entire world. During my heavily negotiated trip to Saudi Arabia last year, Wilbur Ross -- my Commerce Secretary -- noticed something amazing. He said to me, "oh, look Mr. President, no protesters! Not one guy with a bad placard." And possibly you're thinking, well, how would he know? Because the way they write, it's all squiggles. As everybody knows. Although, a lot of times we can tell from the pictures. And whether folks are wearing MAGA Hats. Believe me, we didn't have to do the hat check. And we didn't have to look at the pictures. Because there were no pictures. No squiggles. No signs. And no protesters. ZERO. Beautiful number, folks.

    I'm from NYC, I live in Manhattan. But when I go there, it's wall to wall protests. I have a little house in Beverly Hills. And the best Golf Course in L.A. But, so many protests that I don't care about my property there anymore. I really don't care what happens to it. Palm Beach, you'd think they'd love me there. Because I opened the first Club that welcomed BOTH the Jews and the blacks. I have a great relationship with the blacks. But Palm Beach, they wanted to fine me for flying, very proudly, the biggest U. S. A. flag from the biggest flagpole they'd seen in their entire lives. Trump National Golf Club, Washington, D.C. I have so many friends in Washington. But that horrible woman gave me the finger -- TWICE!!! Something we don't see in New York City. I'll tell you the greatest thing about New Yorkers. We always, always keep it classy. Somebody's on the bicycle, somebody else is in a limo, they treat each other VERY NICELY. 100%

    Visiting Saudi Arabia was very special. It was like not being famous anymore. But still being very very rich. I'm the most famous person ever. And I love that. I absolutely love it. But I could get used to the "no protests." So beautiful. And the way they did it, so simple. They made "protests" illegal. Something President Obama did for us. People don't know this. But it's possibly the best thing he did in his entire life. Or will ever do. When he signed the Federal Restricted Buildings & Grounds Improvement Act. Terrific law. Which says, you disturb a MAGA Rally, you're trespassing. And for that matter, you bring your nasty signs to a Bernie rally, a John Kasich rally or one of Crooked H's elite fund raisers -- trespassing. Terrible examples because their campaigns are very low energy. I'm the only guy that's campaigning for President for 2020. But anybody with Secret Service has that very special power. This is according to A. C. L. U. They're covered by that one. Because of Obama's beautiful signature on a beautiful law. Tremendous law. And listen, I'm going to start pressing charges!!

    By the way, it was so sad to see what happened with Bart. With the other side only looking to inflict pain and embarrassment to one of the most highly renowned jurists to ever appear before Congress. They will say anything. I don't know why they don't take care of a situation like that. I think it's embarrassing for the Country to allow protesters. You don't even know what side the protesters are on. In the old days, we used to throw them out. Today, I guess they just keep screaming.

    I've traveled to Russia and China. And they don't have a lot of protests there. They move very strongly on protests. Tiananmen Square in the Forbidden City -- they had a big protest there. But they sent in their military. And took care of it very thouroughly. And by the way, I was very honered to be the first foreign Leader to eat at Forbidden City since their country started. By invitation from President Xi -- their President for Life -- himself. Delicious meal and I'm sure it was very expensive. So different from how they treated Obama. Do you remember? He was going to G-20. Which was in Peking -- otherwise known as Beijing. And they wouldn't bring the stairs to his Jet. So he had to come out of the ass end of the plane. And they took so many pictures of him coming out of its rear end. Looking very low class. So ridiculous, right? For me they brought the stairs. Big, beautiful stairs. And the reddest carpet you've seen in your entire life!!!

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