It’s not easy, trying to figure out what’s inside a suspicious car or truck. Often, the vehicle has to be searched by hand, putting soldiers right up against a possible car bomb. That’s a risk not many are willing to take. Instead, I saw a bunch of trucks around Baghdad (like this one) get torched, just to be sure there weren’t any explosives inside. Most of the time, there weren’t.
Defense Industry Daily points out a new, less destructive way to make that call.
[The] Z Backscatter Van (ZBV) is a low-cost, extremely maneuverable screening system built into a commercially available delivery van. The ZBV employs… Z Backscatter technology, which offers photo-like images that reveal contraband that transmission X-rays miss — such as explosives (including car bombs), people and plastic weapons…
[It works] by directing a sweeping beam of X-rays at the object under examination, and then measuring and plotting the intensity of scattered X-rays as a function of the beam position.
Akin to light reflection, Z Backscatter signals are particularly strong whenever the incident X-rays interact with explosives, plastics, and other biological items, which typically contain low Z materials. Even inorganic objects, such as metals, are given shape and form in Z Backscatter images — making them easier to interpret than transmission images during X-ray evaluation.
Eight of the vans are supposed to go to U.S. Central Command, for use in Afghanistan and Iraq. Baghdad’s truck drivers can’t wait.
Sneak Peeks at Car Bombs
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{ 71 comments… read them below or add one }
Should be a boon for the cancer rate. Or maybe sterilize suspected insurgents.
It depends on the radiation emited. Meanwhile, the operator can always ask the attendants to stop at the checkpoint and leave the vehicle. If this would cause cancer with such low radiation, why risk health for taking X-rays for dentist clinic and health checkup every year? Human lives are depending on this, and if there are idiots who claim about the risk about this device for radiation, what about those who are risking lives for the suicide bombers?
This device is pretty cool, but I wonder if it’s really suited to a war zone, especially when security checkpoints themselves are often the target of attacks. It seems like these trucks could turn into bomb magnets as well as bomb detectors.
From the picture it looks like this van has to be right next to any vehicle it inspects. Unless this van can somehow survive a direct explosion or somehow inspect vehicles from a safe distance, it’s only going to take eight car bombs to put all of these probably pretty expensive pieces of equipment out of action.
If that means ten or twenty lives saved at particularly dangerous checkpoints then maybe it’s worth it. Otherwise it seems like this sort of equipment would be more useful inspecting shipping containers at domestic ports.
It seems like these trucks could turn into bomb magnets as well as bomb detectors.
Agree, it might be better to have these installed on the heavy armored military trucks.
* The doses of radiation aren’t health threatening.
* The van can be painted up to look like a normal commercial van, which it is on the outside. You could stencil Arabic or whatever on the sides, and as far as anyone knows it’s another delivery truck in the city. Which = not an attractive target to detonate on, they’ll wait.
* It can do scans while moving, so it’s possible to drive it around in dicey areas and sweep te area.
* It can also be operated remotely while parked… and re: bomb magnet, (a) that’s harder when one can see the bomb coming, and (b) OK, so it blows up the remotely operated van-scanner parked ahead instead of its manned target. Buy another van.
I’ve been in Baghdad for a while, now. Anything that can help, will help. The concept of health risks is fairly laughable considering the environment here. Even without the insurgents (we’re up to more than 100 incidents a day [I'm sure you don't see THAT on the news back home]), this is an unhealthy place to work in. I’m no doctor, but I imagine that the air pollution alone is enough to knock a few years off your life.
By the way, no matter what you paint or stencil on that truck, it won’t fit in with what is out here. It looks too “American” and therefore a “bullet magnet” (VBIED magnet, really. Vehicle Borne Improved Explosive Device: We are just insane about all these acronymns. Can’t just say suicide car bomb!)
Thing is, you’re looking at the symptoms. The illness to be treated is the foreign policy.
“Buy another van”? These sound a tad expensive to use as decoys
If the things turn out to be useful, I’m sure camouflage will be the next step.
I would like to hear your thoughts on foreign policy “construction worker.” Tell us how you would solve the situation over here. Let me guess…we have a large meeting of the minds and we try to talk things over with the insurgents?
Speed bumps! Lots and lots of them. You know the kind that takes your bumper off if you hit them too hard. Should rattle a guy who’s driving a bomb.
I agreed with the last guy. Speed bumps and lots of them . Make them awkward as hell. If they don’t go slow, it’ll rattle the shit out of them and maybe even set the bombs off prematurely
why don’t we just pull our guys out and replace them with bunker busters every 100 or so feet.
So, instead of having the terrorists try to place their car bombs in close proximity to high-value targets, we’re going to drive the rare, expensive, soft-skinned detector vehicles right up along sid etheir carbombs for them? Does the driver get hazard pay, uh, I mean does the driver’s widow get hazard pay?
I still like the old-fashioned RF sweeper. In the days before digital signals, you could sweep a comparatively high-powered signal up and down the RF spectrum and detonate electrically-fired bombs whereever they might be, preferably still inside the bomb-maker’s house or garage.
In the digital signature age; you still might be able to detonate some with exposed wiring runs, etc. They seem to be using either command-detonated bombs or at least bombs with a deadman switch. That implies wires from the driver to the detonator. When the right frequency hit the wire run and turned it into an antenna . . . .
I don’t expect it would stop all of them. But how many lives is a cheap, reliable, reuseable device worth? At least, it would prevent attacks by less sophisticated devices. It might even kill a terrorist of two. “They” used to drive them around in Beirut and blew up a couple of the bad guys’ toys doing it. Considering how commonplace HMMV’s, supply trucks, Toyota’s and heliocopters are in the troubled areas of Iraq; it seems pretty easy to do frequent sweeps. Who knows? Maybe they already are. But the frequent use of hard-wired command detonated devices makes rather doubt it.
Could these vans be used to inspect the containers coming into our ports? And if they can be used in Iraq then by all means they should be if we can afford to send a shuttle into space then we should be able to afford to save the lives of our fighting men and women.
Some Government jerk, getting a six figure income, sits in his little corner of his “safe” office in D.C. and comes up with these stupid ideas. Why not let them drive the vans if they think it’s such a grand idea. As a Nam veteran, I’m sick and tired of seeing body bags still being used on a daily basis!!!!
James, I think you have the right idea. If blanketing the area with RF sweeps takes out one device before it gets used on our soldiers it is a great idea.
As to these trucks, I agree with Bill. Either find a way to armor them or rig them for remote control. Remember these things are supposed to save lives not risk them.
It seems to me that the use of the vans would be ideal in a controlled situation. But unfortunately the use of them at checkpoints negates the probability of a situation that can be controlled. The use of road devices to slow traffic seems a good idea, IE: speed bumps to better control traffic for inspection and the hazard it poses to probable bombers. Either way the situation remains or the hazard isn’t really lessened. Perhaps someone needs to return to the drawing board and come up with a happy medium to face a growing problem?
I agree with doing RF sweeps.
Now for the X-ray trucks I say put the equipment inside some old-beat-up-shot-up Iraqi truck, have an Arab looking guy drive it around. But Not just use one style of trucks, also use VANs, large cars, and change the equipment from vehecle to vehecle every day, and not use the same vehecle after a couple of weeks (also swith drivers). That way the enemy won’t know what vehecles are carrieng these divises.
(In other words keep changing, and evolving AHEAD of the enemies adapting pace)
I have been detecting water as deep as 900 feet and have identified a Meth Lab from more than 500 feet away and accurately detected Amonium Nitrate and Amonuim Sulfate from more than 40 feet away, yet cant get past square one with the DOD. I could mount it on a helicopter and fly over an area or could be in any vehicle. I have used it as a backpack lately and tracked it with a quarter wave diapole antenna. Any suggestions guys
Just one thing that they forgot…in this age of high powered car bombs (VBIED’s) there are only two words I have to add “DIRTY BOMB”…gosh it’s briliant…these things have to contain either Cobalt or Cesium both of which are radioactive and will cause a hell of a mess. All it takes is one. I wouldn’t worry about the cost of one of these blowing up I would worry about the fallout of one of these things blowing up! They really need to rethink this one. I like the low tech idea of speed bumps those large rubber ones lay down a patern of them at odd angles so that if you drive too fast it won’t just shake the crap out of the bomber but will likely roll the vehical over…to beat these guys you have to think like them then take the low tech effective approach to knocking them on their asses. They are way over thinking the issue.
Insurgents are idiots. They think that by killing themselves and a few GIs and civilians that they are going to win Iraq. Let them learn a lesson from the now extinct Viet Cong. Even though the Cong got what they wanted. they weren’t exactly around to see it. Now, if we promise to be good Gis, and tell them in advance we’ll leave as soon as there is a stable Iraqi Govt. do you think they’ll save their energy for that? If not, do they think we’ll pick up peace signs and grow our hair? These guya attack us with the same tenacity that they attacked us on 9/11. Remember Pearl Harbor? Me , I say remember My Lai. Don’t expect for the troops on the ground to react the way they are forever. If these cats are lookng for a gunfight, I say show them what Americans really are, and kick their asses. If this bomb thing can help them do it, the se lah. If not, then use the saw on them.
They deserve it man, as they are really stupid.
Stretch
Maybe these systems as well as the checkpoints could have X-ray tunnel type drive areas that has no personnel or equipment except the scanner arm in the concrete bunker style tunnel or pit to drive through. maybe they could be pieced together like fabricated buildings. Maybe it could be designed like a enclosed washrack back home where it pivots at the top and moves around the vehicle by remnote control to take the images.
If this thing is so great….Why are only eight of them being deployed to iraq every unit should have one…..
They say crack border gaurds can spot guilt by looking at your face.
How about a computerized close video scan that can
read expressions or sweat on a drivers face?
I believe that the only way that we are going to get the insurgent’s attention is use General Sherman’s tactics used during the Civil War. If we can positively identify an insurgent or terrorist, we should not only kill him, but we should also kill his family and burn his personal property (unless we can use it for the effort). Their families and personal property can not run with them. I know that seems barbaric, but the only two things that these folks cherish are their radical religious beliefs and their families. Apparently they do not care about themselves. One cannot attack a religion, but it will make a person think twice before signing up as a terrorist. I’m sure that they didn’t care about the families that were destroyed in the 911 attacks.
It appears the the rest of the Arabic world understands & uses this methodology. Give them something that they understand. Let’s win this thing and get the heck on with our lives.
We decisevly ended a major conflict with a nuclear device last time. What makes us so squimish about taking out a terrosit and his family now? We have to get their attention (just like they got ours) if we are to end this conflict now! We need to fight home grown tactics with home grown tactics! Otherwise we are wasting young lives, money, & time! We need to get mean!
Simular devices are being used in our ports as we speak. Container trucks drive thru the rack and rail system prior to leaving the port area. I think the truck idea is so they can scan cars abandoned roadside. BUT from my understanding most are being watched from afar with cell phone detonators. so this concept may not be all that great….
RF sweeps are the way to go. Any jamming device that fits easily onto the side of a vehicle will do, as long as it jams signals from the detonator (usually cell phones, no matter how far away) to the roadside bombs.
Let’s go back to basics. This is a fight right? How many times has a guy tried to fight you and you refused because you knew you would hurt him? How many sucker punches do you take? How many times do you just stand in the way and break up the fight without throwing a punch? If they know they can continuously sucker punch you and you won’t do anything about it do you think they will stop? Sometimes a show of force is a good preventative measure to deter further conflict. Find the antpiles and pour a gallon of acetone on them! All of the ants in the pile don’t bite but the will breed with the bad ants and produce more biters!
They are asking for it; hurt them. Find an area that is known to be heavily populated with insurgents and nuke it. Shoot the nuke remotely from southern Iran. They have their own nukes in submarines purchased from Russia anyway. Let them take the blame. Light up the whole Northwest quadrant of Iraq. Forget precision bombing, change the terrain with the missiles we have that have almost exceeded their shelf life! Ask China what they would do; guaranteed this would be over if they were being challenged. Do the Chinese have more balls than we do?
For that matter do the Koreans? do the Iranians?
I find it LAUGHABLE, that some people still are NAIVE enough to think that our foriegn policy would make any difference to a bunch of misguided ,murderous, brainwashed ,fanatical yahoos ,who feel that our very existence, being as we are infidels, the great satan, yada yada yada is reason enough to want to kill all us, especially children, women. WAKE UP PEOPLE, FANATICS CANNOT AND WIL NOT BE REASONED WITH!!!!!!
To Castillo-
I agree with the general aggressiveness of your statements, but…having more balls means doing what you DON’T enjoy doing…which means taking into consideration all of the defenseless women and children you’d be wasting in order to scrap a few jihadi’s with a little less pain and suffering involved.
Now, I ACTUALLY BELIEVED THAT crap above, until I read about how Iraqi’s really FELT about our liberating them. Mainly, they felt shame and anger, for our ‘freeing them’ which they (cradle of civilization that they are) saw as insulting…they see us as inferior to them, fyi.
So, yeah..I agree…waste them all, drink their oil and high-five a few strippers on your way to Vegas when it’s all said and done. Ain’t Freedom Hell??
It’s Evolution, baby….Semper Fi
Maybe we could use a combination of heavily armored compartments on the side of the truck that does the sweeping with the soft parts and drivers protected in the cabins and rear of truck.With the external damagable sections easily replaced.We could also set up sweepers at border sites and fortified road blocks! Additionally we should have access to all cell phone numbers and disposable phones etc. and we could do random sweeps and possibly detonate the bombs in their hiding spots. There are also some other inventions available that could help. And we could develop some roadside bomb sweeping technology.
With advanced IED improvements that will save the lives of our Soldiers/Marines who are coming home dissmembered, and having to relearn how to live? Let’s forget about all the political BS and field this system ASAP HOOAH!
Do you really want to save american lives? Bring them home.
I guarantee you that when the last american leaves iraq, they will revert to what they were before our invasion. They have been fighting among themselves since before christ. What makes you think they are going to stop?
Our illustious President has left us wide open to IUDs inside the good ole USA by not closing our southern border. I heard a recently retired INS Chgo chief state that they have 26,000 INS border agents to patrol 10 million illegal aliens.
What do you mean the President is for nationational security. That is BS.
I asked ABC news to ask the Presient 1 day prior to “Iraqi Freedom” this one question: If there were not even one Iraqi among the 911 perpetrators (they were mostly Saudi), why not bomb Ridayah or Mecca rather than Bagdad? Of course he ignored me and bombed Bagdad. So are we now more safe in the USA?? I think not. We have one big international mess than only benefits the New World Order that the former Pres Bush spoke about as he commenced Iraqi Freedom.
When will patriotism get out of the way for realism. The war is nationalism versus internationalism. The Iraqis are fighting a nationalist effort to defeat INVASION by the USA.
Iraq never attacked America and never had anything to do with 911 nor with WMD until the USA clobbered them. Now we have a hornets nest taht we can not win.
Bring the boys home and humble yourself before God for having attacked an innocent nation of people who just want to be left alone.
Remember nationalism won in SE Asia in Vietnam and American firepower lost.
SP5 David Wallin 69-70 wounded NAMVET
Plan B:
Pull the hardest Crips and Bloods out of prison and put them on a transport. Fund them like we funded Saddam Hussein and Osama Bin Laden as long as they keep there area thriving and expanding. Set up a town just for them. Build them nice houses and give them nice cars and pools. Oh, and don’t forget the Chronic! Let there be no amenity or convenience they could not obtain in the States. Tell them that they can extend the perimeter of this town at will. Let them pay taxes to the Iraqi government which would be withheld and paid directly from a bank in Switzerland or Mexico for that matter. Set this town up in the middle of Baghdad! No Iraqi’s allowed.
Don’t give them weapons though, just enough money to purchase what they need. They will purchase the first weapons from the bad guys just until they find out who has the best ones. Then they will probably kill them and take their weapons.
Tell them they can live there and get paid or go back to prison in the states; that is the offer. Plus, they are brown like me and they won’t stick out at all;this will help them.
Guaranteed the insurgents will be done with in a couple of years. And this could make space in some of prisons saving the US taxpayers lots of money!
Does this sound insane? Is it more insane than what we are doing in Iraq today? Who and how many will die today?
i got an idea let just reverse time and instead of putting troops into iraq lets put nukes into it and turn it into a parking lot for crying out loud. if it can help use it, if it cant scrap it. why do you think they are just making eight? and yes if it does work definately agree with better veichle i mean a delivery van i laugh at this. but the overall idea is a good one and but does need some retooling so to speak.
It seems like we should be outsmarting the enemy instead them us. On the road bombs someone has to set them off with a signal from a distance. I want to know why we can’t find that signal and set it off before they do. If they change signals than we would use several different signals at once. I would like to see us blow them up first.
yes, your machine needs to be adapted to the enviorment.
We are smarter than these bastards, I know we are.
Let’s start using it. Officers, put your egos aside and start listening to senior enlisted.
We have the wisdom and technology to kick ass! Let’s do it.
MacArthur wasn’t always well liked by everyone, but I wouldn’t want to go up against him! Genius is often misunderstood!
Nukem! I say Nuke every last one of them and set up a glass factory!
There is technology available now that will jam signals from cell phones to IEDs. I know there is an order for several thousand hand held units to be used by individuals and small units in Iraq and Afghanistan. There is also on-going research with microwave and radio technology that will detonate explosives at a remote distance. Anything coming into the device’s effective zone blows up.
And, to the post conflict ‘construction’ guy: the only policy that needs changing is the Terrorist’s policy of killing innocents. The Democracy Project is the only thing that is going to get to the root of Islamic Terrorism in the long run. Killing the terrorists as fast as they can repopulate is the answer short term.
violent premption, give a voice to the people and let mixed capitalistic democracy reign…it’s the only solution.
we may have to kick Iran ass soon, because those crazy bastard, do not mind dying and taking people with them. It is them or us. I feel better, if it is them. Americans don’t take no shit.
i think we need nazi death factories in iraq. if the towel heads want to make this war about religion we should accomodate their wishes and destory islam. next, we should heard them up and put them into nazi death factories. do it like the nazi’s did make the cook their own people. it is the only sure solution
Stay true to the mission. Use the equipment, technology, and knowledge to advance. Don’t let our brothers and sisters who have already been lost go in vain. Win….then come home.
Doesn’t the operator face one hell of a lot of occupational exposure risk? And what about the repair technician, when something breaks down or gets exploded? If they are effective, these will become a new target of choice. A little explosive is lots cheaper than a bomb-mamogram on wheels. Plus you get X-rays radiating from the debris, so you have an automatic HazMat situation. Which means in 140 degree heat some poor RadTech has to suit up in a 4 ply suit complete with duct tape. I don’t think that the operations research people have thought this one completely through. You could train an army of dogs for the price tag of one of these toys.
Hey David Wallin,
Shut up. I’m tired of all these people saying how this war was unjust and how rosy Saddam is. You all make Saddam look like a saint compared to George Bush. The reason why we lost Vietnam was because we had a draft and the public didn’t support it. We don’t have a draft now and, don’t you think that the public should start getting behind the president so we can hurry up and win this thing so we can go home?
2LT Michael Parrish
well guys I wish this war was over also…I’ve got two son’s in this mess…we have the mean’s to end this in a way that would make history….so my grandchildren won’t have to be in that God forsaken sandbox…..spending the money for these van’s is not, that great of an idea….now those speed bumps isn’t bad either ….but if you think about it the vans gives the bad guys another reason to come up with a different idea..or should I say….[a upgrade]…on killing our GI’S so this could go on forever….keeping it safer for our men and women down range is the wrong way to do things according to our leaders….so come on guys ..use the brains that God gave you and do the right thing
I don’t think the van idea is the greatest idea ever, but the government is goin’ to do whatever they feel like doing. They have proved this over and over again. I don’t want this war to last any longer than it has, but my husband is over in Iraq and has been since the first of the year, has lost a few friends over there, and his morale is still up, he seems to understand why he is there, to those who have gave the ultimate sacrifice we can’t let it be in vain. Not all the Iraqis don’t want them there. There are Iraqis that tell them Thanks all the time. About bashin’ on Bush, he showed the world that if you attack the US you’re gonna get it back full force.
I fought in WW-2 (ETO) and Korea and still have nightmares. But what you guys are experiencing in Iraq is many times worse. I don’t have any solutions to offer except one; the American GI has more ingenuity than any one else. I’ve seen it over and over. How you override stone walls like Rumsfeld, I don’t know, but I do hope you can scheme your way out of this. God bless, all of you. I may not be around to see the end but you are always in my thoughts.
The chance of cancer is of no concern to someone who is about to drive into a town and kill who knows how many people including themselves. I say if the van works and would help save the lifes of our men go for it, the sooner the better.
[quote] Do you really want to save american lives? Bring them home [/quote]
David Moore, you say this, and correct me if I am wrong here, but… weren’t all those people killed in the September 11 attacks IN the United States, and thus “Home”
Weren’t all the people in London who were killed killed IN London, and thus “Home” when it happened?
How will pulling the soldiers “home” stop the killing? It won’t. Ever. You can not fight terrorism and hatred with a pacifist attitude.
The world needs to take a few pages from the Israeli booklet on fighting terrorism. For every strike they make, you make six in retaliation. For every sympathiser, and supporter those people get, you kill fifteen sympathisers and supporters.
And the terrorist bombers, and the terrorists you kill… you don’t let them become Martyrs to their religion. You burn their bodies in pig fat, blood and bodily wastes (the most unholy, degrading thing in their view)
Make them think twice about whether they will EVER get to see their 100 virgins in ‘heaven’ if they carry out the strikes.
And why the hell aren’t we taking out all these “terrorist schools” in the middle east where the young children are first brainwashed with all this anti-western sentiment?
I mean, sure, Civilian deaths and collatoral damage is sad, and should be avoided whereever possible. But, come on, there is a limit. A few special forces teams sent would do the trick.
Or, if they really didn’t want to show their involvement, let’s recruit the old IRA boys now that they’re retiring. Show Al-Qaeda, HAMAS and all these other terrorist factions what real terrorists look like, and see how they like the bombs going off in their own countries.
This is a war less of retaliation than one of economics. The people up top needed to spur the economy, and war is always a way to do it. For the men and women fighting though – it is a righteous battle because you are pure of heart and action. It is black and white to you (and me for that matter): get rid of the “bad guys.” You can’t kill them with kindness, you have to beat them at their own game just like Frizbee said. My husband is in Afghanistan getting IEDs blown his way everyday, and I’m sick of having to worry about it. We are supposed to be above cruelty because we are a post-industrial society, but the people we’re fighting are not… so do it right back! You don’t get anywhere unless you fight fire with fire.
2LT Michael Parrish,
We supported the President because he said Saddam had WMD and was supporting terrorists such as Bin Laden. Now we know he had no WMD’s and couldn’t support shit. The President had other reasons for going into that country. Why? Long term plans of cheap oil or maybe he felt the need to finish the job his Daddy started (I only wish he’d listen to his Daddy, who is a better man). Now that we’re there Bin Laden is supporting the insurgents to keep us there and the US has the tiger by the tail– we can’t afford to hang on and don’t dare to let go.
I was behind the President, he had my trust, he blew it. If he wants a chance of regaining my faith then he should recognise his faults and remedy them.
We or the President needs to dump Runsfeldt and a bunch of his other cronies, get some new military minds at work.
I agree with some of the people above: If Bin Laden calls this a Holy War then we need to fight a Holy War. Bomb the Mosques, Mecca, and all other shit Holy to those pricks.
Roy
Hartford, WI
The van ideal would work in a controlled environment. Randomly driving down the street, may get people hurt. Lets outfit soldiers with randomly emmitting signal generators that go’s thru signals generating tones to reproduce telephone signals that would cause this explosive devices to explode in the hand of the terrorist. Lets be positive, and support our chain of command. Lets think as one. We need to kick some ass. Put all our minds and resourse to out smarting these terrorist. I have a lot of soldiers who are like my own out there, I love them very deeply and pray they make home too their love ones. “TOP” Retired…
I think any explosive’s , ammo & bomb materal shold be blown in place , Mosk,house, ect.
Good Luck
O saviour of the World
I believe in One God
I forgive the police people and those that trespassed against us from earth born passions set us free and let us find our rest in thee for since by man came death by man came the resurection of the dead
the day of resurection earth tell it out abroad.
Good Lord deliver us.
if ills we cannot flee, too flee sin and death where they heal our ills and help our needs
repentence and redemption
Seeing that we have a great high
priest that is passed into the heavens , Jesus the son of God, Let us come boldly unto the throne of grace to help in time of need.
we humbly beseech thee.
peace be to this house and to all that dwell in it The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength
In nothing be anxious:but in everything, by prayer and suplication make your requests be made known unto God And the peace of God which passes all understanding shall, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus
to be anxious for nothing and the peace that passes all understanding
remember not our offences of the offences of our fore fathers…madd Cow disease?
Hasten Lord to the perfect day when pain and death shall cease and your just rule shall fill the earth with life and health and peace
Violence shall be heard no more in thy land wasting nor destruction with in thy borders.
Thanks be to God for everything
Lord have mercy on us
thy kingdom come thy will be done
Love thy neighbor you cant serve both God and money you will end up serving one and hating the other I believe in One God fear God then you will have nothing else to fear in token that thou shalt not fear.
quotes phrases all taken from prayers hymns and the bible.
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Ghost, be with us all evermore amen
well (cough , cough) this thing is set for failure because these guys are letting the enemy know our plans.Just do it dont post it.Havent been to iraq yet but speed bumps before check points seems ok.I would say have miniguns posted at check points fire a few rounds into all vehicles that aint allies just tell them before hand they are going to get lit up.have an a-10 cannon mounted on trucks to
It doesn’t matter what new idea or invention comes along, many people just automatically see how it won’t work.
To all you who want to remind us of “Viet Nam” one way or another, let me remind YOU, that our last combat troops of any strenght left Viet Nam in 1973 as part of the Viet Namization (thank you Mr Nixon). Two years later, South Viet Nam lost the war with North Viet Nam, WE DID NOT.
Been there, did that. It’s 30 plus year ago. Get over it. Don’t dishonor our young warriors today.
Nate, know that we cant wait for you all to come home. We are so proud of the service you provide and the fact you are protecting us! Thank you for your service. You will be home soon enough!
Know that your service is drastically improving the world not just the US. A free and stable IRAQ is a model for the muslim world!
No bomb is going to influence Muslims of the future, but it will kill those who want to harm us now.
The US approach of education and knowledge is working. Almost every Muslim country in the world has 50% less support for Osama and suicide bombers. They realize 50 Iraqis are dieing to 1 American.
Check out the nations that are illiterate. Palestine, Sub Saharan Africa and the heart of the Middle East are high on the charts. These people dont know how to read and write in their language. So US and our allies including Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Pakistan and a free IRAQ and Afghanistan educate these people the views of young Muslims will change!
Who they going to get to drive this thing? it just shows someone in a nice comfy office trying to sugar coat something again. they need to show us how safe it is in the field by demonstrating it at a checkpoint themselves. not with one of us.
Mario is headed in the right direction .I went threw a Burger King Drive Thru yesterday thats what gives me this idea.Before they reach the xray point set off their cell phones. Set up drive thru xrays or robitic cams or sniffers that check out vehicles or persons before they get to the troops .Have the passengers get out open the hood trunk or whatever have the robot arm with cam look through it and xray it.Use the mobile vans if it works. Have iraqis or afgans or whoever drive them.Let the real brains figure something out on this.Ask the troops what might help or could be changed to help save lives.
Guy if we had been given permission to finish it in ’91we could have. I say better to ask forgiveness than permision. That said boys and girls over there protect yourself anyway you can.
Good luck and God speed.
We will be praying for you.
this thing is great! this must be use not only in iraq but in all countries so it can lessen incident that happens all over the world made by bombings and kills innocent peoples… mabuhay!!!!
the truth about all of this is that these guys love death while we love life & thats the edge they have over us, & they know it & their younger generation already believe in wearing belts of glory (bombs)our best bet is to nuke all these guys or infect their men & cut short their progeny or else this is heading for a 3rd world war between muslims & any other religion
I just finished the Time article about efforts to stop IED’s.
A lot of effort is aimed at jamming.
I suggest two more options to consider:
1. Instead of jamming, we should try to emulate the frequencies/codes used by the terrorists in order to prematurely set them off.
2. We should try ground penetrating radar which is used for various purposes including identifying underground water sources, old ruins, bodies etc.
Drones flying these routes using this technology could identify recently disturbed ground as possible IED ambush sites.
I’m sure there are plenty of engineers and technicians out there who are as creative about foiling the terrorist techniques as these sob’s are at creating new techniques.
Mobilize for our guys and gals in harm’s way!
Dear Soldiers, Radicals, and Others;
I am an American woman, 46 years old. I am married, mother of six, a grandmother, a nurse, and a proud soldier of the United States Military for 18 years. I live nearby an Army and Air Force base, and see many soldiers regularly. I must tell you all that it inspires me and swells me with pride to see these hansome young men wearing their uniforms and knowing that you are just another reason to find gratitude in being an American. I have watched the news, I have endured the endless assaults on our country, our military, and our President. I have talked with people (even my own children) and listened to their point of view regarding where we find ourselves and our country here today. I will never forget the innocent people all of us witnessed fall from those towers in 2001. I understand that many of the Muslim people who danced and celebrated death on that day feel vindicated by those killings, that somehow the people in those buildings were all part of those responsible for the list of their grievances against America. I hear these Muslim people still crying out like bad children full of self-pity, and petty excuses and Americans still hand wringing because they actually have to punish and deal with these “bad children” instead of give it a “pill” and rely on someone else, or something else to make it go away, so we can concetrate on more important things–like ourselves. It is ironic that the biggest complaints from terrorists are the self absorbed Americans, ignorant to morals and values, and yet those Americans that spew the most vile things and unwitingly become a supportive sounding board for the terrorist are the very illustrative same type of Americans that the terrorist hate the most! If it were not so dangerous it would be laughable. I enjoy being an American because we are free to say what we wish, and be who we wish, and become what we wish. Many American’s forget the simple pleasures that we enjoy each day just because we are Americans. Think on it the next time you are hungry or thirsty–and you are able to simply put change into a machine and satisfy that craving. Do you realize how difficult it is for so many people of the world to just eat and drink each day. I understand we cannot send them our vending machines and keep them restocked for the downtroden of the world, but we can pause to find the gratitude for our bountiful and generous country. I don’t see people pouring over the boarders of other countries to find a better life, but for our country it has always been a big problem. Take a day trip out to Ellis Island to be inspired by the tenacity of our ancestory trying to reach the great America. There are plenty of things that we can find fault with in our history, and in our present situation, but there are also plenty of things that we have put aside or forgotten to just be thankful for in our country. I serve my country proudly, I serve an awesome God, I love my family and don’t want to be away from them, but this conflict that we are involved in currently is important to our country and deserves our respect and support. Please remember we did not start this! We were attacked. Maybe, Saddam didn’t attack us directly, but can you honestly say that he wouldn’t have if given the chance. It’s time to face up to the facts of what’s been going on for the last 10-15 years. While Mr. Clinton was playing footsie in his office, our intelligence was depleted, ignored, and chastised for doing their job (as evidenced by things being revealed now–not to mention Mr. Berger and his amazing paper disappearing act). While Mr. Clinton was playing footsie in his office, Saddam flirted with his aircraft and SAMS, continued to destroy people in the most heinous ways, and became richer and richer exploiting the U.N. to keep the U.S off his back. While Mr. Clinton played footsie under his desk, our military personnel were given pink slips, while most Americans could go about doing what they do best–endulging in self interests and feeling good! We are Americans that is our priveledge as such! But, the party has to end sometime, and someone has to clean up and be responsible. Our honorable President now, has had the thankless job of doing just that and we many of us sit back like the spoiled (American) “kids” we are complaining because it is “hard”, and if “joey didn’t do this or that we wouldn’t have to clean up”, etc. etc. Sometimes I think we should be called the “United States of Comfort” instead. Just look at our philosophy of things and how it has evolved over our century. Now if there is discomfort in anyway we take a pill. If we are sad we take a pill, if junior is being too rowdy give him a pill, if we have an upset stomach from eating too much take a pill, if we want to loose weight from eating too much take many pills, and now if we want to get rid of illnesses regardless if they are brought about by self-indulgence, or ignorant health behaviors we can have the government pay for our cures by funding stem-cell research. It doesn’t matter where the stem-cells come from just as long as someone pays for the research and then comes out with a “pill” to keep it going. I’m sorry to get so carried away, but our country was not built on this kind of complacency or lack of personal responsibility. The greatest generation was called the “greatest generation” not simply because they fought in WWll, but because all of America, whether they understood it, supported it, or believed in it or not, pulled together because they believed that’s what Americans do. They understood that we were no longer impervious to attack, that America was now in the crosshairs, and the dangers of war was not confined in Europe. They understood that it was all of America that was a target and could be attacked if we did not pull together in the fight at home and abroad. They understood in order to succeed at a difficult task it would take sacrifice, even if that meant giving up some of their comforts (ie: read about rationing). It also meant that they would give up their sons, daughters, husbands, and mothers in a collective effort to support their country, their President, and of course our comfortable American way of life. It was not easy, it took a long time, and it took many lives and much self-sacrifice not only by the soldiers in harms way but by the mothers that went to work in factories, and children that stayed home without parents, and extended family that joined in to help. In a collective effort by young and old Americans to gather resources, money, time, and labor. This could be another “great generation”, maybe even greater considering the tremedous outpouring of generosity displayed by Americans everywhere toward people in need all over the world even in the most recent tragedy in the Indian Ocean. Do not be fooled by media rhetoric, personal opinions and biases, if you are an American, you are a target! If you don’t believe this, then take your next vacation in Syria or Iran. Meanwhile, let’s enjoy the comforts of our country, be a “spoiled” American, but remember to be grateful for these priveledges, and get behind your country, your President, and your soldiers or we may find ourselves going down in history as the “greatest naive generation”. I know this was supposed to be commentary regarding the van for bomb detecting, but I became inpassioned when reading all of the various other commentary and needed to add my voice to the mix. May almighty God bless you and give you His peace! Pray for all American’s here and abroad for whether we embrace it or not we are all in harms way whether by complancency, ignorance, military, or just being an American.
I have used these vans when I deployed with the 1st Cav. They were a tremendous asset. We used them at check points, and even in areas that were unimproved.. so mobility is not an issue. I will tell you the “Picture” it transmits is outstanding. if you have never seen it, don’t comment, if you have never worked with this equipment, don’t guess. Not to sound like an ass, but I have used it and it served quite well. hell, infact it was the reason we found things hidden “IN” fenders and “IN” gas tanks. This babuy is no joke. And since it isn’t affected by Warlock and the such, you can use it with jammers. As for why we are there, and what you think the reason is, I was also an advisor, and I will tell you those people want us there. There are bad guys, guess what, they are everywhere. This is for comments on the equipment, not your political soap box. Oh, and if your wondering.. I was in both wars, so I know how both went, not the crap in school books and the ignorant try to say happened who weren’t old enough to piss in a toilet say happened. Sorry, I guess I used the box one more time before i put it away! Lol!
If you think I missed some things, that’s because I did. I only read up to the point where Dave wrote his comment. Feel free to discuss things with me at tex_06@msn.com e-mails are screened.