Homemade explosive v. Improvised Explosive Device (IED)
There was a report this morning of the deaths of two soldiers in Afghanistan. These soldiers were the victims of a "homemade explosive." Sorry folks, but the very term "homemade explosive" belittles their sacrifice.
When your average American hears the term "homemade" they normally think of something that is cheap, small, and not as powerful as the factory model. Don't you believe it. Here is some Honest Talk on the subject:
Explosive devices that are used in Iraq and Afghanistan should not be considered homemade anything. The people that use them do not have the budgets of a whole nation behind them. What they have are munitions, be they grenades, rockets, or mines that are over a decade old. Iraq's are from the 70's and 80's, where as the Afghanistans old stock piles (caches) are left over from when the Russians tried to take over the region, and countries like the US helped the so called Freedom Fighters by providing supplies and training. The Russians may have failed, but a lot of the ammunition was left behind.
These people have been making a lot with a little for many years. Organized cells/groups of people systematically collect and disassemble munitions. Once disassembled these munitions are put back together in such a way to make bombs of varying degrees of complexity and power. Sure, there are explosives where there is someone just waiting with their finger on the trigger. There are also IEDs on timers, hooked up to pressure plates, radio controlled. Hey, can you say, "Cell phone?" Well so can they, and they do.
Use the term IED. Use the term high explosive. Just don't say, "Homemade." Let's not sugarcoat what these brave servicemembers face, because it is easier to say during an election year. Their job is harsh and brutal, not easy and light. Let us think of brother and sisters, husbands and wives within the reality in which they find themselves living.
When your average American hears the term "homemade" they normally think of something that is cheap, small, and not as powerful as the factory model. Don't you believe it. Here is some Honest Talk on the subject:
Explosive devices that are used in Iraq and Afghanistan should not be considered homemade anything. The people that use them do not have the budgets of a whole nation behind them. What they have are munitions, be they grenades, rockets, or mines that are over a decade old. Iraq's are from the 70's and 80's, where as the Afghanistans old stock piles (caches) are left over from when the Russians tried to take over the region, and countries like the US helped the so called Freedom Fighters by providing supplies and training. The Russians may have failed, but a lot of the ammunition was left behind.
These people have been making a lot with a little for many years. Organized cells/groups of people systematically collect and disassemble munitions. Once disassembled these munitions are put back together in such a way to make bombs of varying degrees of complexity and power. Sure, there are explosives where there is someone just waiting with their finger on the trigger. There are also IEDs on timers, hooked up to pressure plates, radio controlled. Hey, can you say, "Cell phone?" Well so can they, and they do.
Use the term IED. Use the term high explosive. Just don't say, "Homemade." Let's not sugarcoat what these brave servicemembers face, because it is easier to say during an election year. Their job is harsh and brutal, not easy and light. Let us think of brother and sisters, husbands and wives within the reality in which they find themselves living.
posted by Zanla | 11:59 AM
1 Comments:
A profound thought of the day
What theory is the key to a success; “persuade to cooperate” or “made to cooperate” ?
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