Tidbits of encouraging trivia

IED's are a big problem for ISAF forces. But it seems that Afghans are realizing IED's are an even bigger problem for them. Two interesting statistics from BGen Denis Thompson:

While the number of improvised explosive devices, or IEDs, planted year over year has increased, so too has the number of IED discoveries.

For every bomb that goes off, nine are found and safely neutralized, Thompson said.

Much of that, he said, is happening in Kandahar city where citizens have embraced their government institutions and feel secure enough to assist coalition and Afghan troops by calling in suspected IEDs.

Still, many in the countryside remain fearful of reprisal from the Taliban, while others have bought in to the insurgency’s anti-coalition propaganda.

Thompson said Afghans need to realize that for every coalition soldier killed by insurgents using IEDs, three innocent Afghans are also killed. [Babbler's emphasis]

Useful information indeed - for both Afghan and Canadian audiences.

The article also highlights a couple of areas of the fight that Canadians should know more about: the ongoing training of ANSF by OMLT and POMLT teams, and the EOD work being done with increasing efficiency by anti-IED teams in Kandahar. CEFCOM should take note of the opportunity, and build upon the information provided by BGen Thompson.