| Last updated on 2008-09-09 14:09:09 |
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Landmines
Definition: A landmine is a type of self-contained explosive device which is placed onto or into the ground, exploding when triggered by a vehicle, a person, or an animal. The name originates from the practice of sapping, where tunnels were dug under opposing forces or fortifications and filled with explosives. Land mines generally refer to devices specifically manufactured for this purpose, as distinguished from improvised explosive devices ("IEDs"). Land mines are used to secure disputed borders and to restrict enemy movement in times of war. Tactically they serve a purpose similar to barbed wire or concrete dragon's teeth vehicle barriers, channeling the movement of attacking troops in ways that permit the defenders to engage them more easily. From a military perspective, land mines serve as force multipliers, allowing an organized force to overcome a larger enemy. Land mines have two core uses - to create tactical barriers and as area-denial weapons. The latter use seeks to deny access to large areas, since they are often unmarked and affect civilian populations after the cessation of military operations or hostilities. When used as a tactical barrier, they serve as deterrent to direct attack from or over a well defined and marked area. Without land mines in the demilitarized zones (DMZs) of hot spots such as Cyprus and Korea it is conceivable that small raiding parties crossing though these barriers could have inflamed hostilities since all that would oppose them would be physical barriers (such as barbed wire, which can be easily penetrated) and opposition soldiers (whose use would naturally indicate open conflict). In this latter use, anti-personnel land mines keep hostile parties from fighting each other. Current Facts Landmine Identification: Landmines fall into two categories: antipersonnel mines and antitank mines. Some antipersonnel mines are designed to injure, not to kill. Generally, landmines can be divided into four groups: blast, fragmentation, bounding fragmentation, and directional fragmentation. Booby-traps and Unexploded Ordnance: A United Nations view of hazards associated with landmines and other unexploded ordnance. Innovative handheld landmine detector unveiled. An innovative handheld landmine detector, designed to enable soldiers to quickly and accurately detect all types of anti-tank and anti-personnel landmines, was unveiled and demonstrated on February 12, 2001. (Sources: Mine Action Center at James Madison University, *Department of Defense Humanitarian Demining Research and Development Program Office, United Nations Mine Awareness documents, Laboratoire de Microinformatique, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, FM 20-32 Mine/Contermine Operations) Minefield Safety and Clearing: Civil wars and internal conflicts, like those in Bosnia and Afghanistan, have left millions of mines scattered around the world. Every day U.S. forces help foreign countries plan, train and carry out demining operations. In all demining operations, whether during combat operations or humanitarian operations, safety is paramount. (Source: Department of Defense (DoD) Humanitarian Demining Research and Development Program Office) Dealing with Landmine Casualties: Land Mine Casualties: An authoritative 1998 U.S. Army Medical Department Journal article on landmine injuries suffered by Soviet soldiers, killed and wounded, in the 1979-1989 Soviet-Afghan War. According to this article, "The Soviets learned that the killer was not the patient's loss of a limb to mine blast, but rather shock and a combination of injuries to the internal organs once the bleeding was stopped." (Sources: Foreign Military Studies Office, Department of Defense Humanitarian Demining Research and Development Program Office, Mercury, U.S. Army Medical Department publication, November 2001) Other Safety Topics: Personal Protective Equipment (PPE): A stark, professional look at how the U.S. approaches the design of PPE for demining operations. Described are efforts by DoD to draw on information about demining injuries gathered from Afghanistan, Bosnia, Cambodia and Laos. Analysis of such information is being incorporated into future PPE designs and the modification and testing of existing equipment. Reducing Accidents in Demining - Afghanistan: This "Journal of Mine Action" article compares landmine accidents among deminers in Afghanistan to those in Cambodia. The article attempts to explain the differences and makes some recommendations based on the author's observations. (Sources: Journal of Mine Action, United Nations Children's Fund, United Nations Mine Action Service) Fast Facts Department of Defense Programs and Training: Since 1994, the Department of Defense (DoD) has played an increasingly active role in U.S. Humanitarian Demining Operations around the world. The purpose of the U.S. Humanitarian Demining Program is to relieve suffering and assist foreign countries in developing demining capabilities. DoD Humanitarian Demining Program: Information paper on when and why the program was established. The paper spells out the program's goals, roles, and responsibilities. "Oman Demining" By Staff Sgt. Jeff Troth, Third U.S. Army/ARCENT PAO (Source: FM 20-32 Mine/Countermine Operations, Countermine Training Support Center/Humanitarian Demining Training Center, Ft. Leonard Wood). United States Demining Policy: United States Department of State International Information Program: Resource on landmines and landmine demining. United States Humanitarian Demining Program - Afghanistan: Since 1988, the US has conducted Humanitarian Demining Program operations in Afghanistan and continues such operations to this day (see Update on Mine Action in Afghanistan, 22 December 2001). (Source: U. S. Department of State) Additional Information: There are dozens of Internet sites dedicated to mine warfare, demining and landmine awareness. The following are a few: Mine Action Information Center (MAIC): Hosted by James Madison University (JMU) in Harrisonburg, Virginia. MAIC provides links to national and international organizations like the UN Mine Action Service, the Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining, and U.S. Government resources. The site links to the U.S. State Department's Demining Program Fellowship page. Every semester a fellowship is offered to one outstanding JMU student. The Frasure-Kreuzel-Drew Humanitarian Demining Fellowship is a paid position with the US Department of State, Office of Humanitarian Demining Programs. (Source: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Mine Action Information Center, Afghan Technical Consultants) |
