Answer 1

Bulletproof Balloons

Cheaper than Predator drones.

These would simply be balloons with a Kevlar shell that would be tethered to rooftops scattered throughout a city that's experiencing anarchy like Baghdad. The same type of camera used on the Predators would be mounted inside the Kevlar shell with only its lens exposed. Cameras at the base of the tethers would also be used to identify anyone who tried to cut the line.

Insurgents would take pot shots at the balloons of course, but it would take something like an RPG to knock them down. It's unlikely that they'd use RPG's, for two reasons. First, every miss would be a waste of precious ammunition, and second, every miss would land in a neighborhood where they might have a few friends they didn't want to accidentally kill.

Answer 2

Wake Up Soldier!

Helmet alarms.

The U.S. Army is currently researching the idea of a new invention, a helmet that can automatically pick up short thought command sequences to be relayed from one soldier to another without any visible motion. Ignoring the possibility of false commands being transmitted into the data stream for a minute, another version of these helmets could be put into production fairly fast. This version would just monitor the brain waves associated with sleepiness and shout "WAKE UP SOLDIER" into an earpiece linked to the helmet. If we didn't want to take the blunt instrument approach, a soldier's musical preferences could be programmed into the helmet. When the helmet sensed the soldier was getting overly nervous it would play some soothing melody; if it sensed they were getting bored or sleepy it would play an uptempo number.

** Note: This wouldn't be like the nod-off alarms that some truck drivers use.  If the soldier started to nod off in the middle of the night it might be too late. We need them wide awake the whole time.

Answer 3

Hacked satellites as weapons

Here's an excerpt from the October 9, 2002 issue of New Scientist magazine:

"Commercial satellites used by the US military, secret service and Federal Aviation Authority could be hijacked or disabled by computer hackers, a new government report has warned... The satellites are typically used for non-critical communications, as well as tracking and telemetry... the command channels used to control these commercial satellites are insufficiently protected against misuse... If false commands could be inserted into a satellite's command receiver, they could cause the spacecraft to destroy itself."

Here's an extrapolation:

Instead of causing the spacecraft to destroy itself smart hackers would redirect them into the path of military satellites that are protected, causing an explosive collision. Secured channels on military satellites aren't any good if the satellite itself is unprotected.

Answer 4

Countries should require self-destruction mechanisms be embedded in landmines. They would make them effective for a limited time (whatever length of time is necessary for the military goal). After that, they would no longer be effective (either their location could be broadcasted or some other planned way of making them obsolete).

Answer 5

Snowshoes made of Kevlar (the material used in bulletproof vests) for people who search for landmines. It would provide partial protection while it distributed the weight evenly. But Kevlar might not help if the mine is too powerful.

Answer 6

Detonate landmines using high pressure sound waves from above.

Answer 7

Veterans shouldn't have to pay income taxes. They've paid their dues defending our country. Raise it a little on the rest of them. They won't notice the difference.

Answer 8

Why don't they induce comas in prisoners when we get booked into...

Answer 9

Move rapidly towards near-total factory automation in developed...

Answer 10

3M Health Care Particulate Respirator and Surgical N95 Mask, Model...

Answer 11

Pass an amendment to give the votes of parents with young children...

Answer 12

Make veterans exempt from paying federal income taxes.