WASHINGTON, Dec. 3, 2007 – On a cold, rainy Christmas morning in 2004 in Iraq, a small group of soldiers huddled before a patrol. The first sergeant introduced the group to a new way to steer out of a spin if a Humvee were to start sliding into a canal. The patrol would be passing canals. If a driver were to steer incorrectly, the vehicle would overturn and drown those trapped inside, the first sergeant said. Steer correctly, the Humvee would not turn over, and everyone lives. Before pulling out that morning, the first sergeant checked again with each driver,...