Although we hear a lot about IEDs in Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan, global use of improvised explosive devises (IEDs) is on the rise. According to a study published in the New York Times, the number of IEDs exploded or discovered worldwide rose from 3,267 in 2006 to 4,027 in 2007 to 4,273 in 2008.
Although the number of devices exploded or discovered has decreased dramatically in Iraq, they are on the rise in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Colombia, Somalia, the Philippines, and parts of North Africa. Lt. Gen. Thomas Metz, who is in charge of a Pentagon program to counter IEDs, said that the devices are becoming a favorite tool amongst terrorist and insurgent groups, and is a trend that is likely to continue for decades to come. There is even information that North Korea is training its soldiers in the use of such devices.
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