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.
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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.