What are improvised explosive devices?
Improvised explosive devices (IED) are small homemade bombs, made famous recently by the occupation of Iraq by the United States, used to kill soldiers and damage vehicles. In contrast to land-mines, improvised explosive devices are usually manufactured from off-the-shelf components using simple tools and commonly triggered using a mobile phone. The use of improvised explosive devices may be regarded as a form of guerilla warfare, employed by fighters of a poor nation being invaded or occupied by a more technologically advanced force. Improvised explosive devices are responsible for approximately one third of U.S. military deaths in Iraq, a figure which has remained relatively constant with the continued occupation.
