The Soft-Kill Solution

Ando Arike’s 2010 history of nonlethal weapons in crowd control: “‘Non-lethal’ is the Pentagon’s approved term for these weapons, but their manufacturers also use the terms ‘soft kill,’ ‘less-lethal,’ ‘limited effects,’ ‘low collateral damage,’ and ‘compliance.’ The weapons are intended primarily for use against unarmed or primitively armed civilians; they are designed to control crowds, clear buildings and streets, subdue and restrain individuals, and secure borders. The result is what appears to be the first arms race in which the opponent is the general population.”