EDA: Global effort needed to beat IEDs

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BRUSSELS, March 13 (UPI) -- The European Defense Agency wants a comprehensive, global approach for developing technologies and methods to counter improvised explosive devices.

"IEDs are here to stay" and the only way to defeat them is through comprehensive approach that builds on the strengths of military and civil security resources," it said.

The conclusion was bannered following the Resilient Threat Management 2013 conference, which brought experts together in Belgium to share counter-IED information.

Subjects discussed included exploitation of forensics, its dual-use nature and its role as the hub for intelligence building, evidence gathering and technology development.

Scientists also provided further insights into novel approaches to defeating IEDs.

"Many lives have been lost in combating the IEDs," the agency said. "Many more lives have been lost in relearning how to combat IEDs. We cannot afford to repeat this learning process costing more lives.

"The fight against the IED needs to continue ... it must, however, do so as part of a comprehensive approach to managing the evolution of asymmetric threats and their networks."