kathleen @ 73
Gordon (another Aspen tree) channeling Judy Miller.

Yup. Good knife skills, Hugh! (as we say in cooking class).

Yes to this – and, brilliant dissection Hugh! Anyone know why Gordon is still at the times? At least this piece of crap was not page 1!

Wigwam @ 95

Thanks. I’m rather skeptical about much of the stuff that I read. What came through loud and clear, however, is that it doesn’t take Iranians to build EFPs; they’re a rather simple and fiendishly effective device.

Exactly, we’re not talking about detonators for nuclear weapons or electronics for cruise missiles. It’s fairly low tech stuff which is essentially what you want when you are fighting in an asymmetric conflict: simple, lethal, and easy to get a hold of.

Porter claims that EFPs were what gave Hezbollah the edge in Southern Lebanon. There’s probably a lot more to it than that, but the ability to easily punch through armor tends to even up the fight.

The ability for irregulars to easily down helicopters would be devastating to U.S. forces in Iraq. Back in February it looked like the Sunnis had that capability, but since February the rate of helicopter loss seems to have subsided.

Have the Iranians detained by the US in the northern Iraqi city of (Ramahdi?) been released?

Erbil, no. There was some talk that they might be part of a quid pro quo for a release of the 15 Royal Marines.

Thanks. I’m rather skeptical about much of the stuff that I read. What came through loud and clear, however, is that it doesn’t take Iranians to build EFPs; they’re a rather simple and fiendishly effective device.

Exactly, we’re not talking about detonators for nuclear weapons or electronics for cruise missiles. It’s fairly low tech stuff which is essentially what you want when you are fighting in an asymmetric conflict: simple, lethal, and easy to get a hold of.

dear speaker pelosi -

where is the vote on the “can’t attack iran w/o congressional approval” bill, we were promised?

i hope not, but we might be needing it soon.

That went bye bye went Pelosi was booed at the A*p*c conference. She went back to her office and took that off the bill.

Wigwam @ 92

caused more than 15% of US casualties in Iraq

I think this is the same number as the 18% that Gordon uses. It apparently comes from the government but they have given out various numbers. So take that for what it’s worth. It is not independently verifiable. It refers only to the last 3 months of 2006 and includes both US and allied casualties during that period. Gordon admits that casualties from EFPs have been much less in 2007.

I fault Gordon both because he is too quick to accept government numbers without seeking to independently verify them and because he ignores how their use reflects the ebb and flow of US operations aimed at Shia militias.

Thanks. I’m rather skeptical about much of the stuff that I read. What came through loud and clear, however, is that it doesn’t take Iranians to build EFPs; they’re a rather simple and fiendishly effective device.

caused more than 15% of US casualties in Iraq

I think this is the same number as the 18% that Gordon uses. It apparently comes from the government but they have given out various numbers. So take that for what it’s worth. It is not independently verifiable. It refers only to the last 3 months of 2006 and includes both US and allied casualties during that period. Gordon admits that casualties from EFPs have been much less in 2007.

I fault Gordon both because he is too quick to accept government numbers without seeking to independently verify them and because he ignores how their use reflects the ebb and flow of US operations aimed at Shia militias.

meep! @ 84: Hey, anyone know when C-Span’s going to re-air the hearings?

Redshift @ 85: C-Span 1 at 8pm, according to folks in the previous thread.

Thanks!!