Original Poster: "Mark Broker" <broker@uwplatt.edu> 
mark,
       I do not mean to be a hair splitter but I tend not to agree with
this comment 
>> snip
Also a LASER doesn't lose much power over long distances.
>> snip
since (I think) power loss will be governed by the inverse square law
(double the distance 1/4 the power)
although the military boys sure wish it were so.
Robert