HOUSE PASSES HUNTER AMENDMENT TO COMBAT ROADSIDE BOMBS IN AFGHANISTAN

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September 11, 2011 (Washington DC) -- The House of Representatives has approved an amendment to the National Intelligence AUthorization Acts to combat roadside bombs in Afghanistan.  

 

The amendment, introduced by Congressman Duncan Hunter (R-El Cajon, a member of the House Armed Services Committee, instructs the Director of National Intelligence and the Secretary of Defense to establish a strategy to identify and counter network activity and operations in Pakistan and Afghanistan relating to development and use of improvised explosive devices (IEDs).

 

“IEDs remain the number one source of combat casualties in Afghanistan,” said Congressman Hunter. “More than 80 percent of the IEDs used against U.S. troops in Afghanistan are derived from components and chemicals produced in Pakistan. Until the networks and precursors connected to Pakistan are addressed, the threat of IEDs in Afghanistan will not diminish.

“One of the major challenges up to this point involves the obvious lack of coordination between the intelligence and defense communities, and what appears to be resistance from the intelligence community itself from prioritizing the IED threat along with its work to track high-value targets. There is a severe gap between these entities when it comes to IEDs and both the Defense Department and the intelligence community need to start working together to counter roadside bombs in Afghanistan.

 

“Developing a coordinated strategy, which my amendment requires, will help save lives and provide a strategic advantage to our military.”
 


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