Use?

This is coolbert:

Here thanks to the astute and observant reader to the blog, Edward, an occurrence of the crossbow as used in modern warfare!

An archaic weapon finding surprising usage!

"British-made crossbows 'used by Serb soldiers'"

"Whitehall [the British foreign office] has launched an investigation into reports that British-manufactured crossbows have been used by Serb soldiers against the Kosovo Liberation Army" [this particular archived entry from the Guardian dated 1999]

"[crossbows] were not covered by export restrictions. 'They are not on the military list,' a spokesman said yesterday."

"the foreign office [British] has asked the department of trade and industry and HM customs to launch an inquiry . . . and whether they should be covered by a European Union or United Nations embargo."

Who would ever think to embargo them? Who would ever think the crossbow would be used in modern warfare?

"crossbows and 'other exotic weapons' were used by Arkan, the Serbian paramilitary leader"

Arkan led the MOST [?] savage of all the Serb paramilitaries in the various Balkan "episodes"! NOT conventional fighters but better termed IRREGULARS, a mercenary-type of para-military organization for which "spoils" were an important part of the fighting. [among the Ottomans, such persons were referred to as bashi-bazooks!]

"Crossbows are believed to be used for hunting deer by poachers in Britain"

Right - - exactly! Crossbows are used in the U.S. ILLEGALLY for hunting! Give the hunter too MUCH of an advantage and are not considered to be "sporting"! BANNED for hunting in most states?

And are DEADLY IN THE EXTREME! A father thinking that giving his son a crossbow as a present and a "quaint" way of amusing the son will rue such a decision, such is the damage the weapon can cause.

Too, I am attempting to find out more concerning those Degar crossbows and combat use of same during the Vietnam conflict!

Thanks again to Edward!!


coolbert.