Counter-Improvised Explosive Devices: Most Initiatives Supported by the Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Organization Have Limited Applicability to Humanitarian Demining

摘要

Each year, landmines and explosive remnants of war cause thousands of casualties worldwide. Since 1993, the United States, through the Department of State's (State) Bureau of Political-Military Affairs/Office of Weapons Removal and Abatement Humanitarian Mine Action Program, has contributed funding for humanitarian demining to more than 80 countries, providing tens of millions of dollars annually to rid the world of landmines and other explosive remnants of war. In 2010, State reported that, since 1993, it had received almost $2 billion in total funding for the Humanitarian Mine Action Program. Humanitarian demining is one of the focus areas of humanitarian mine action and is primarily conducted by foreign militaries, contractors, nongovernmental organizations, and host country personnel. In 2006, to address the threat of improvised explosive devices (IED) to military missions, the Department of Defense (DOD) established the Joint IED Defeat Organization (JIEDDO). Its mission is to lead, advocate, and coordinate all DOD actions to defeat IEDs. Through fiscal year 2010, Congress has appropriated over $17 billion to JIEDDO to rapidly develop and field counter- IED solutions, such as detectors and electronic jammers. In the Committee report accompanying the House of Representatives' version of the National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 2011, the House Armed Services Committee directed that we review the applicability of JIEDDO initiatives to humanitarian demining efforts.