Insurgents using more powerful roadside bombs, military panel says

[Barrett808]

Insurgents using more powerful roadside bombs, military panel says
By Drew Brown
Knight Ridder Newspapers

WASHINGTON - Insurgents in Iraq are adjusting their tactics and using bigger and more powerful explosives to target the vulnerable undersides of armored Humvees and other military vehicles, according to a Pentagon group assigned to find ways to counter roadside bombs.

Since July 24, at least 17 U.S. soldiers and Marines have been killed by such attacks, according to Defense Department press releases and on-the-scene media reports.

"The terrorists are now using larger, more powerful IEDs, and they are attacking the undercarriages of our vehicles now, where the armor is not as thick as on the sides," said Richard Bridges, a spokesman for the Joint IED Defeat Task Force, the Pentagon group charged with analyzing the attacks and creating ways to counter the bombs. "They are also, in some instances, using home-engineered shaped charges that are more effective at penetrating armor."

IED is an acronym for "improvised explosive device," which the military uses to describe various bomb attacks, but which is used most frequently to describe the roadside explosions. A "shaped charge" makes a blast more powerful by directing the force of the explosion toward the target.

(more)

http://www.realcities.com/mld/krwashington/12286228.htm

[Demonaut]

1. but the press neglect to name the type of explosive, more than likely

the stuff missing from the unguarded bunkers...HMX....just another day in DisneyLand

[Dudley_DUright]

2. My thoughts exactly

You know that the military test the explosive residue and knows exactly what explosives are being used, but somehow this information never makes it into press reports. I wonder why? :think:

[HereSince1628]

3. I am betting the answer would be "operational security."

It's the Bush operation to secure all sources of embarrassment

[Arkansas Granny]

8. That was my first thought, too.

[bemildred]

4. Sounds like an arms race. nt

[oneighty]

5. Estimated 600 pounds of explosives

Yup that ought do it. And only ten pounds of explosives in the London Tube bombings.

180

[mikeytherat]

6. Oops! Mister Bridges forgot his qualifiers!

While in their last throes, insurgents in Iraq are adjusting their tactics and using bigger and more powerful explosives to target the vulnerable undersides of armored Humvees and other military vehicles, according to a Pentagon group assigned to find ways to counter roadside bombs.

"While in their last throes, the terrorists are now using larger, more powerful IEDs, and they are attacking the undercarriages of our vehicles now, where the armor is not as thick as on the sides," said Richard Bridges, a spokesman for the Joint IED Defeat Task Force, the Pentagon group charged with analyzing the attacks and creating ways to counter the bombs. "Also, while in their last throes, they are also, in some instances, using home-engineered shaped charges that are more effective at penetrating armor."

Hope this clears things up!

mikey_the_rat

[leftchick]

7. File this under...

Take your pick...

1. DUH!

2. We told you so!

3. Who could have predicted?

4. Where are all of those High Explosives allowed to have been looted again?

5. Double Plus Duh!

:banghead: