Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

U.S. spending billions to stop Iraq IEDs
AP ^ | March 13 2006 | CHARLES J. HANLEY

Posted on 03/13/2006 1:43:25 PM PST by jmc1969

The United States is pouring billions more dollars and fresh platoons of experts into its campaign to "defeat IEDs," the roadside bombs President Bush describes as threat No. 1 to Iraq's future.

The American military even plans to build special, more defensible highways here, in its frustrating standoff with the makeshift munitions - "improvised explosive devices" - that Iraqi insurgents field by the hundreds to hobble U.S. road movements in the 3-year-old conflict.

Out on those risky roads, and back at the Pentagon, few believe that even the most advanced technology will eliminate the threat.

"As we've improved our armor, the enemy's improved his IEDs. They're bigger, and with better detonating mechanisms," said Maj. Randall Simmons, whose Georgia National Guard unit escorts convoys in western Iraq that are regularly rocked, damaged and delayed by roadside blasts.

Lt. Col. Bill Adamson, operations chief for the anti-IED campaign, was realistic about the challenge in a Pentagon interview. "They adapt more quickly than we procure technology," he said of the insurgents.

The bomb makers have the White House's attention. In a radio address on Saturday, Bush said roadside bombs "are now the principal threat to our troops and to the future of a free Iraq."

The Pentagon's upgraded Joint IED Defeat Organization is getting a sharply increased $3.3 billion this year to foil the often rudimentary weapons, which the Iraqi resistance generally fashions from artillery and mortar rounds. The "JIEDDO" staff of explosives experts and others will almost triple, to 365.

From 2004 to 2006, some $6.1 billion will have been spent on the U.S. effort - comparable, in equivalent dollars, to the cost of the Manhattan Project installation that produced plutonium for World War II's atom bombs.

(Excerpt) Read more at twincities.com ...


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: ied; iraq; oif
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-27 next last

1 posted on 03/13/2006 1:43:27 PM PST by jmc1969
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: jmc1969
"The United States is pouring billions more dollars and fresh platoons of experts into its campaign to "defeat IEDs," the roadside bombs President Bush describes as threat No. 1 to Iraq's future."

Arent IEDs causing more than half of U.S. casualties? Why wouldn't be concentrating on fighting them?

This same reporter would be likely be writing about the Pentagon is ignoring the IED problem is we were not spending on it.
2 posted on 03/13/2006 1:46:36 PM PST by gondramB (Render unto Caesar that which is Caesar's and unto God that which is God's.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: jmc1969
We should be also concentrating on killing the bomb makers, suppliers and the persons who set the IEDs...
3 posted on 03/13/2006 1:48:48 PM PST by 2banana (My common ground with terrorists - They want to die for Islam, and we want to kill them.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: gondramB

If we spend billions to adapt, while they adapt and only spend what comes from secret funding... then we're screwed.


4 posted on 03/13/2006 1:49:35 PM PST by SteveMcKing
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: jmc1969
Even if we were to leave Iraq today, we would still need to learn how to defeat Roadside IEDs. There will always be more deployments of our troops and we need an effective defense against IEDs.

Just wait until Terror cells are placing IEDs in and around Washington, DC or New York City. People will be screaming for solutions.....

5 posted on 03/13/2006 1:51:15 PM PST by Onelifetogive (* Sarcasm tag ALWAYS required. For some FReepers, sarcasm can NEVER be obvious enough.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: gondramB

"The United States is pouring billions more dollars and fresh platoons of experts into its campaign to "defeat IEDs,"

When I read this I didn't know to either laugh or cry. This is like buying billions of cans of raid to kill termite soldiers instead of killing the queen, or queens(iran). Arm all citizens. Let the 2nd amendment rule. You stop the IEDs, then more car bombs go off. And no, I don't have the solution either. But when our president categorically states that Iran is supplying the components to IEDs, well, that's good enough for me to start fumigating the throne.


6 posted on 03/13/2006 1:53:18 PM PST by Tulsa Ramjet ("If not now, when?")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: 2banana

We are doing so as well and we are getting a lot of help from Iraqis who are tipping us on the location of the terrorist planting the IED or manufacturing them. However a technological breakthrough to make the IED ineffective will totally destroy the terrorist insurgency in matter of months.


7 posted on 03/13/2006 1:58:52 PM PST by jveritas (Hate can never win elections.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: Tulsa Ramjet
A fixed car bomb is considered an IED as well. On the other hand a suicide car bomb is much less effective against our troops because we see it coming and we shoot it down in the vast majority of cases. So yes a solution for IED's will include a solution for fixed car bombs and that will not just only save the lives of our troops but that of many civilians as well.
8 posted on 03/13/2006 2:03:09 PM PST by jveritas (Hate can never win elections.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: Tulsa Ramjet

think about it...rationally.

The technology is multifaceted and would work on any future battlefiled...the IED is a terrorist weapon, whether in Irag or elsewhere. So, IMHO, funds well spent if research leads to workable battlefield solutions to threats posed by IEDs.


9 posted on 03/13/2006 2:05:50 PM PST by in hoc signo vinces ("Houston, TX...a waiting quagmire for jihadis. American gals are worth fighting for!")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: Onelifetogive
Even if we were to leave Iraq today, we would still need to learn how to defeat Roadside IEDs. There will always be more deployments of our troops and we need an effective defense against IEDs.

Just wait until Terror cells are placing IEDs in and around Washington, DC or New York City. People will be screaming for solutions..

Astute observation. I grow weary of hearing the Iraq conflict spoken of in isolation from the ongoing WOT. Iraq is a training ground for many conflicts far into the future, and what we learn there will serve us in those conflicts.

Our armed forces will be so deadly and effective in urban warfare, future enemies will be in deep doo doo.

10 posted on 03/13/2006 2:07:57 PM PST by Jeff Chandler (Peace Begins in the Womb)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: SteveMcKing
Ahhhh... Steve those negative vibes will ruin your day.

If nothing else there is always something to be thankful for. The American dollar has been worthless since FDR stole all the gold. So let the printing presses roll!

We can print as much as we need for any war...

and never forget WAR means jobs...,

which means more fast food...,

which means a house with a swimming pool...,

and a Lexus in the driveway. Man we got it made!

Thanks to the Dems we can print all the money we want for any war!

11 posted on 03/13/2006 2:13:53 PM PST by Luke (CPO, USCG (Ret))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: jmc1969

The problem is simple and terribly difficult to overcome. IEDs are set-off my EM, usually cell phone transmissions. It's easy to block cell phone and other radio transmissions but how, then, can the good guys use radios? Laser can be used to communicate over line-of-sight, but that's clumsy and limited. The problem is in blocking enemy transmissions without blocking your own.


12 posted on 03/13/2006 2:13:57 PM PST by pabianice
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Jeff Chandler
I grow weary of hearing the Iraq conflict spoken of in isolation from the ongoing WOT.

The NYTimes is headquartered at Target One for Islamofascists, but with everything they write about terrorists, oh sorry, insurgents, one might think the conflict was occurring on another planet.

13 posted on 03/13/2006 2:14:57 PM PST by 6SJ7
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: Luke

Yes, our point being that we largely won the Cold War by pure economics.


14 posted on 03/13/2006 2:16:42 PM PST by SteveMcKing
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: Onelifetogive

Since I understand that most are ignited by cell phone signals, (they plant the bomb and ignite it by "phoning it"), surely there must be a way for a computer program to speed dial millions of numbers, and maybe blow up some bombs and bombers in the process. (Lots of nuisance "rings" with nobody there, but those BOOMs in the distance would be worth the bother.)


15 posted on 03/13/2006 2:17:46 PM PST by holyscroller (A wise man's heart directs him toward the right, but the foolish man's heart directs him to the left)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: Tulsa Ramjet

We should spend 50 cents and OFF troublemakers like Chubby Boy Al-Sadr


16 posted on 03/13/2006 2:18:12 PM PST by AmericaUnited
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: jmc1969

Start war -> Kill enemy -> go home

I don't see the point of hanging around getting blown up all the time.

Sounds like we didn't kill all the bad guys.


17 posted on 03/13/2006 2:18:25 PM PST by NormB (Yes, but watch your cookies!!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SteveMcKing
Now... thats the power of positive thinkin!
18 posted on 03/13/2006 2:22:17 PM PST by Luke (CPO, USCG (Ret))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: jmc1969
This works around my parts...


19 posted on 03/13/2006 2:23:27 PM PST by TexasCajun
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Onelifetogive

Well Americans will be riding around watching for them to plant these devices. In my neck of the woods. some would call that high sport! Locked and Loaded in Mississippi!

LLS


20 posted on 03/13/2006 2:23:32 PM PST by LibLieSlayer (Preserve America... kill terrorists... destroy dims!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-27 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson