An Improvised Electronic Device is a bomb created in an improvised manner integrating and adding destructive, lethal, noxious, pyrotechnic, or incendiary chemicals. These IEDs are designed to annihilate or incapacitate human resources or vehicles. In some cases, IEDs are often used to distract, disrupt, or delay an opposing force, smoothing the progress of another sort of attack. IEDs are sometimes also made with home made explosives (HME) (Improvised Explosive).
Improvised Electronic Devices are used expansively by cadres of the rebel Tamil Tiger (LTTE) organization against military and civilian targets in SRi Lanka. These devices are often placed on the curb of roads for the purpose of detonating when vehicles or pedestrians pass by. Because of this, these devices are also referred to as roadside bombs (Improvised Explosive). TERRORIST AND IMPROVISED ELECTRONIC DEVICES One of the favored weapons of both modern and historical terrorist is the bomb or Improvised Explosive Device (IED).
For a terrorist, weapon bombs are ideal to them because these weapons allow the terrorist to strike at significantly sizeable distance causing a tremendous destructive effect and most importantly, the terrorist realize that they do not have to be anywhere near when the bomb goes off making it very hard for them to be linked to the bombing. IED Bombs are also ideal for attacks carried out for the Propaganda of the Deed. These bombs can be incredibly destructive. However, when coded warnings are used, the terrorists can choose to reduce or even eliminate civilian casualties (Improvised Explosive).
Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) are simple to make, however very difficult to dismantle. Due to this fact, Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) prove to be perfect weapons for insurgents. In Iraq, the U. S. military is frenetically seeking for high-tech solutions to combat these low-tech bomb devices. Pipe Bombs and other Improvised Explosive Devices (IED) pose very severe threat to federal, state, and local government facilities in view of how easily and inexpensively these Improvised Electronic Devices can be assembled (Improvised Explosive).
These devices are also a threat to Schools, shopping malls, stadiums and other public places. These public places are potential targets for terrorist attacks because these are locations and facilities where people can be found to liberally walk through and around these types of public facilities (Improvised Explosive). IMPROVISED ELECTRONIC DEVICES, IRAQ AND UNITED STATES FORCES In Iraq, by 2005, there had been over 2,000 deaths and continual casualties suffered by U. S.
and coalition forces since the invasion of Iraq due to the use of IEDs (Wilson). These IED bombs have been hidden behind signs, guardrails, under roadside debris and even inside animal carcasses. Fatal encounters with IEDs are escalating and are becoming more deadly by the day (Wilson). The threat now also includes vehicle-borne IEDs. This is when insurgents drive cars loaded with explosives straightforwardly into a targeted group of service members. Government efforts to counter IEDs have proven to be merely slightly effective.
When riding in vehicles in Iraq, United States forces are continually exposed (Wilson). They are also exposed to IED threat at military checkpoints. DOD reportedly expects that mines and IEDs will continue to be weapons of choice for insurgents for the near term in Iraq, and is also concerned that they might eventually become more widely used by other insurgents and terrorists worldwide (Wilson). THE USE OF IEDs and THE INSOLENCE OF INSURGENTS In their employment of IEDs, Iraqi insurgents even make videos of exploding U. S. vehicles and dead Americans.
These insurgents then distribute them by means of the Internet for the purpose of winning new supporters (Wilson). Outside Iraq, distant radicals observe the images as affirmation that Americans are vulnerable and defenseless. In addition to the killings of thousands of American soldiers, IEDs are also killing numerous Iraqis, as insurgents also attack police stations, markets, and mosques (Wilson). CONCLUSION Improvised Electronic Devices are deadly devices used by insurgents to attack opposing forces. However, IEDs are also used against coalition forces.Thousands of people are being killed and suffering harm by IEDs. Those who are planting IEDs are not only harming their enemies, but also their own due to the unconventional usage of IEDs.
REFERENCES
Clay, Wilson (2005). Improvised Explosive Devices in Iraq: Effects and Countermeasures. CRS Report for Congress. Retrieved May 4, 2008 http://www. fpc. state. gov/documents/organization/57512. pdf (2007). Improvised Explosive Devices. Survival and Self-Reliance: S. S. R. s. i. Retrieved May 4, 2008 from http://www. ssrsi. org/ta1/ied. htm