From: Jack (milveh@sbcglobal.net)
Date: Wed Dec 08 2004 - 15:16:38 PST
The original tactic in Iraq was simple, use an
artillery shell with an electrical contact fuse.
Almost anyone with half a brain can rig them up with
either two wires leading to a remote battery or use a
remote control device like a garage door opener or
door bell to trigger the closing of the electrical
circuit.
Almost all Iraq's heavy artillery shells are made this
way thanks to the Chinese, Russians and French who
supplied 98% of Iraq's weaponry. They make excellent
IED's, but they're also using plain old TNT and other
malleable explosives (plastique).
The latest tactics include setting multiple charges
along convoy routes, disguising bombs inside animal
carcasses or planting artillery shells in a visible
area to draw troops into an ambush.
The old method of digging a big hole for a large shell
took a lot of work and risk to plant. So now they are
using these smaller IED's called "drop and pop" that
are still fired electrically from a secure location.
They only take a few seconds, so the TOT (time on
target) is very short and detection is unlikely.
They are also using a daisy chain or string of IED's
(most common explosive is PE-4) to take out multiple
vehicles. Keep in mind most of these devices are just
laying along the edge of the road. Some of the guys
were using the ol ma-deuce to shoot suspected bombs
and explode them, but complaints from the local
citizens stopped this practice.
Unfortunately, we don't have the manpower to
adequately surveil the most commonly used roads where
such IED's are regularly placed during the hours of
0000 hrs till 1800 hrs.
Its kind of like a game of Russian roulette, "Does the
hwy. have an IED today or not...whatever, here we go!"
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