November 12, 2007
IEDs: Land Mines in All but Name?
One was internationally "banned" 10 years ago; the other is used with disturbing frequency in Iraq and elsewhere in the Middle East by al Qaeda and its allies. So what exactly is the difference?
According to Wikipedia, "a land mine is an explosive device designed to be placed on or in the ground to explode when triggered by an operator or the proximity of a vehicle, person or animal." And "an improvised explosive device (IED) is a bomb constructed and deployed in ways other than in conventional military action. They may be partially comprised of conventional military explosives, such as an artillery round, attached to a detonating mechanism...IEDs are often placed on the curb of roads so as to detonate at passing vehicles or pedestrians, and so are sometimes known as roadside bombs."
In other words, both of them can either set in or on the road so that passing vehicles or pedestrians will trigger them to explode OR detonated in another manner. What's the difference? Not much, as far as I can see. The big question is, are IEDs called what they are because land mines were "banned" internationally? Is this a way for the "international community" to save face? If anyone can clarify this for me, I'd be most grateful.
Show Comments »
I think IED's are the poor man's land mine.
Posted by: Wyatt Earp at November 12, 2007 04:37 PMLand mines are manufactured products, IEDs are made from available materials by individual terrorists.
Posted by: paul at November 13, 2007 09:40 AMAlso, the reason land mines were banned is because they are placed in large quantities and kill whoever runs over them.
IEDs are placed one at a time, and are detonated when the intended target passes by.
Wasn't the land mine ban was signed onto voluntarily? If so, it would only apply to those who signed the ban, anyone else would be free to use them.
Posted by: paul at November 13, 2007 09:44 AMUnlike the commenters above, I know that your intelligence is very astute. Your deductive capabilities are a by-product of your cynicism toward the media and are correct, too.
They are actually called IED's because that's what the military is FORCED by politicians to call landmines these days, plus damn them, they gotta use acronyms for everything. The vast majority of IED's employed in Afghanistan are surplus mines from the Ukraine or Pakistan. Our military guys and gals are supplied with most schematics of that ordnance and are trained to recognize them before the actual deployment to the area. I know this from someone I miss terribly. I am not sure where the ones in other places come from.
And NO, IED's are not laid for a specific target anymore than mines were. Mines were laid to secure any area against attackers, hence Mine Field Maps. IED's are used by Muslims to kill anyone that comes close to them because Muslims DO NOT discriminate in their killing.
Oh, I'm bitter because my sweetheart is deployed. Can you tell? Damn Muslims.
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