Back in 2006, British Army Maj. Gen. Jonathon Riley issued a dire warning to a largely military audience: “We have not developed the intelligence or the tactics or the correct approach to defeat the [global] IED network.” It’s difficult to say that four years later there has been dramatic progress in defeating that global network.
The latest evidence of the proliferation of IED know-how: a Mexican drug gang in Ciudad Juarez used a commercial grade gel explosive, called Tovex, last week in the first successful car bomb attack on Mexican security officers that killed three including a federal agent. The Tovex used in the VBIED was likely stolen from a mining company, U.S. officials said.
The car bombing “may represent a different tactic,” State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley told reporters yesterday, “these drug cartels, they have an enormous amount of resources at their disposal. They can buy any kind of capability they want.”
Why do IED networks pose such an intractable problem? First, a market dynamic is at work — well-financed insurgents or gangs pays enterprising guerrilla fighters to conduct attacks. Second, the simplicity of the bombs makes them almost impossible to counter by technological means. Third, because bomb-making cells are neither organized nor persistent, they are an ever changing, highly adaptable and therefore hard to engage enemy.
In somewhat relate news, yesterday the Pentagon announced that 1,200 National Guard personnel will be deployed to beef up security on the southern border with Mexico; they will join 300 National Guard already working along the border.
– Greg Grant
{ 12 comments… read them below or add one }
Good Morning Folks,
You quite right Greg. The evolution of IED’s/EFP’s is solidly on a technology curve. The most unfortunate thing is that most of the worlds militaries especially the United States DoD have ignored this. Even US TM on Mines, still talks about wiring up dud artillery shells, and hand grenades in cans, pin pulled attached to a trip wire. and other Vietnam era Viet Cong era tactics.
The world of command detonated explosives has moved on. I won’t go into some of the evolving technology but for those who are interested it’s an easy search.
The first place to start is with an institution wide attitude adjustment by the US DoD. The Islamic terrorists, drug dealers, political terrorists etc. are not idiots and just a bunch of angry illiterate peasants. Among their ranks can be found highly skilled military people trained by NATO, skilled artisans. technicians and craftspeople, well educated people from the world best institutions of post secondary education and rising political talent.
Recent drug arrest world wide have included MBA’s, an experienced Banker and Financial services/product manager, PHD’s in hard science, PHD’s in Information Technology. Why do they do, as the late US depression era, Mid West Bank robber John Dillinger and for a while number one on the FBI’s most wanted list, said when asked why he robbed banks, “It’s where the money’s at.”
The US DoD still has the attitude that they are nothing but a bunch of angry guys wearing towels heads held down with a fan belt. After, or in the case of the DoD if this institutional prejudice and arrogance can be overcome an the DoD can start thinking like the enemy and learning their technology. The best way to defeat them is not by trying to adapt our technology to there’s, but to lean and get better and be ahead of them on their curve.
The is a case of where the late Walt Kelly was right: “We have meet the enemy and he is us.”
ALLONS,
Byron Skinner
I'm assuming that you're just making assumptions on what the US military thinks about insurgents b/c from all the classes I got before I deployed we were told not to underestimate them. The US military does realize everything that you pointed out. Yes, we make jokes that they are all illiterate goat herders but we realize that the enemy that we are dealing with is incredibly smart and incredibly resourceful.
It's all about money, just like it was for the Mob during prohibition. We can cut off the money the same way we cut off the money to the mob, legalize it. It's simple, it's cheap, it saves money and keeps people out of jail, and dries up the crazies monies.
Proof that Al Queada & Hezbolah boys are in Town, next time use a stronger grade TNT, thenm see more dead bodies.
Can we go into Mexico Armed or Not?
Fill the Mex jails with these guys vs plain Jane Americans visiting your country.
The previous director of the CIA warned that Mexico violence spilling into the US was his biggest fear, possibly even topping al queada.
Its shocking that Mexico, Brazil etc. have such weak police forces, given how rich their economies are, and how relatively stable politically they are too. We can only hope the drug folk keep their shooting and bombs on the south side of that fence.
Reminds me of ETA in some respects they specialised in stealing comercial grade explosives from mines and using them in IED's. Also the Madrid bombing used comercial explosives obtained from the Basque area.
Let's pair up about 2,000 of our homegrown sharp shooters with FlashPoint, The Unit, Criminal Minds to be trained……….then send them to the border and into Mexico—turn them loose and watch them show Washington and the cartel/terrorists how it is done….no questions ask!! I trust my security/safety with them anytime………no, I do not trust anyone in Washington at this time. Lock and load is right………..step over our border and it's good night!!
The death penalty is of little concern to a suicide bomber, methinks.
My point is the guy down the street won't be able to build his business when the gangs shoot him in a driveby. During prohibition the gangs ended up controlling alcohol distribution pretty quickly, even though theoretically anybody could go in their basement and make moonshine.
These people are in it for the money & they're not stupid. They're smart enough to appreciate that Americans don't care that large number of Mexicans are killed by people financed with American money using guns made in America. They're also smart enough to appreciate that the reaction will be very different if the organized violence goes beyond poor American communities that are majority non-white. It's more profitable to buy out existing distribution networks – American criminal gangs – than to fight over them.
These people are in it for the money & they're not stupid. They're smart enough to appreciate that Americans don't care that large number of Mexicans are killed by people financed with American money using guns made in America. They're also smart enough to appreciate that the reaction will be very different if the organized violence goes beyond poor American communities that are majority non-white. It's more profitable to buy out existing distribution networks – American criminal gangs – than to fight over them.
You assume that legit corporations will have to be drug companies. Most drugs sold in the US are not manufactured by a pharmaceutical company but rather caffeine, Alcohol, nicotine, the three largest drugs in the US are not made by any pharmaceutical company.
If you legalize drugs the drug dealers will be forced to sell for a reasonable price or the guy down the street will. Drug gangs might become legitimate businesses honestly, lots of illegal brewers during prohibition became legal companies after it was ended.