Saturday, January 31, 2004

NOT DOING NOTHING ABOUT ROADSIDE BOMBS

Who knew?
U.S. soldiers riding in convoys in Iraq are relying on electronic "jammers" to help protect against the roadside bombs insurgents have used to deadly effect.

The anti-bomb technology isn't perfect, however. In some cases it only delays a bomb from detonating, so it can still explode and kill bystanders.

It's unclear how widely the jammers — the same technology that saved Pakistan's leader from a recent assassination attempt — are being used in Iraq.

Gen. Peter J. Schoomaker, the Army's chief of staff, acknowledged their use in testimony this week before the House Armed Services Committee, but he declined to discuss the bomb defenses in detail. The military does not want to provide useful information to Iraqi insurgents, officials say.

(And a tip of the hat to John for this story)

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