On the recordJune 28, 2010
I rise tonight to speak about the war in Afghanistan, but on a particular subject. In particular, I wish to speak about the terribly destructive force of improvised explosive devices. These improvised explosive devices, known by the acronym IEDs, represent the single greatest threat to the United States and coalition forces in Afghanistan. The impact of this deadly tool of war has been felt in my home State of Pennsylvania, and I know so many of our colleagues have had not only loved ones in some cases but constituents who have lost their lives because of IEDs. In Pennsylvania, we have lost marines, soldiers, and National Guard troops to this insidious threat. In the first 4 months of 2010, incidents of IEDs in Afghanistan increased 94 percent over a comparable period in the previous year according to the United Nations. In 2009, more than 6,000 IEDs were discovered, the vast majority of which used ammonium nitrate as their main explosive ingredient. This is the No. 1 killer of United States and coalition forces. In 2009 alone, 275 American troops were killed by IEDs. In addition to the lethality of IEDs, they have a tremendously demoralizing effect on our troops.
