Threat of Terrorist IED’s Growing, Expanding, General Says

By Jim GaramoneAmerican Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Sept. 21, 2012 – The threatposed by crude homemade bombs known as improvised explosive devices is growingand spreading across the globe, and will be the terrorists’ weapon of choicefor decades, the commander of the Joint Improvised Explosive Device DefeatOrganization said yesterday.
“We still need to do more,” Army Lt.Gen. Michael D. Barbero told the House Appropriations Committee’s defensesubcommittee, adding that his organization is rapidly fielding critical counterIED capabilities. “But let me say up front that I believe the IED and thenetworks that use these asymmetric weapons will remain a threat to our forcesand here at home for decades.”
These bombs, he said, will be the weaponof choice for terrorists because they are cheap and readily available. Bombmakers use off-the-shelf technology to make the deadly explosives.  IED’s were the number one killer of Americantroops during the war in Iraq.
“This trend is readily apparent inAfghanistan … where IED events continue to rise,” Barbero said. “In the pasttwo years, IED events have increased 42 percent, from 9,300 events in 2009 to16,000 events in 2011. And this year, we're on track, for 2012, to meet orexceed the historic number of IED events we saw last year.”
While the overall number of IED eventsis high, coalition casualties are down, the general said. This is because thecoalition’s ability to find IEDs before they explode is steadily improving.This has reduced U.S. casualties by more than 40 percent this past year, hesaid.
The decrease in IED effectiveness is aresult of an across-the-board effort against these devices, he said, notingthat troops deploying to Afghanistan receive the latest counter-IED trainingand use the latest technology from airborne sensors to handheld devices.
“Commanders and troopers on the groundare continuously refining their tactics, techniques and procedures tailored tothe threat they face in the region,” Barbero told the subcommittee.
Meanwhile, U.S. forces and civilian personnel“will remain the target of insurgent IED attacks and the IED will remain theweapon of choice,” Barbero said. “From our experience in Iraq, the reduction ofU.S. forces must not equal a reduction in counter-IED or other criticalcapabilities.”
The general said that as the militaryfootprint in Afghanistan gets smaller, troops there “will require flexibilityto shift priorities rapidly, providing the requisite counter-IED capabilities,situational awareness and security and protection,” he said.
Barbero said the IED threat is growingand morphing to other areas of the world.
“Since 2007, IED incidents outside ofIraq and Afghanistan have increased to average more than 500 incidents permonth around the globe,” the general said. “Since January 2011, there have beenmore than 10,000 global IED events occurring in 112 countries, executed by morethan 40 regional and transnational threat networks. The extremist networks thatemploy the IEDs have proven to be resilient, interconnected and extremelyviolent.”
Wherever there is turmoil andinsecurity, there will be IEDs, Barbero said.
“I believe U.S. forces will operate inan IED environment,” he said. “I believe it's a reality of 21st centurywarfare, and we must plan accordingly.”