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Lasers, Helmet Cams Ordered for U.S. Convoy Guards
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ShareNovember 15, 2007 12:55 PM
The State Department plans to equip its motorcade security details in Iraq with lasers to "dazzle" suspect motorists and helmet cameras to record it all.
U.S. officials also say the State Department plans to double the number of its diplomatic security agents to 90 so that one of its agents can accompany every convoy guarded by Blackwater and other private security contractors.
Security experts say the lasers, emitting a green beam and already in use at some U.S. military checkpoints in Baghdad, overload the optic nerve but, if used from at least 10 feet away, will not cause any permanent eye damage.
Lasers designed to cause permanent blindness have been banned by international law since 1995.
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The lasers being sent to Iraq, experts say, are intended only to dazzle or temporarily blind vehicle drivers and alert them to stop.
"I've had them tested on me, and while it is certainly uncomfortable, like a flashbulb going off in front of your face, there is no permanent damage whatsoever," said Tony Diebler, a former State Department security official who now works at Cohort, International, the company providing the lasers and helmet cameras to the State Department.
The lasers, with a pistol grip, are about the size of a three-battery flashlight. They sell for around $9,000 each.
The State Department has ordered 26 of the lasers for full field testing in Iraq.
"They are proving great so far, and State wants them like yesterday," Diebler said.
While there is some risk that a temporarily blinded driver might crash into another vehicle, that is considered by the State Department to be a better alternative than the deadly attacks that have killed hundreds of innocent civilians in Iraq.
The cameras attached to helmets will create a video record of each guard's line of sight which security experts say is better than the dashboard cameras placed in police cars in the United States.
"Most of the convoy attacks in Iraq come from the side, and a dashboard camera will never see that," said Diebler.
Video: Through the Eyes of the Helmet Cam
The new equipment comes as a result of orders from Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to crack down on the killing of innocent civilians by security guards in Iraq.
On Sept. 16, 17 civilians were shot dead shot by Blackwater personnel guarding a U.S. diplomatic convoy. The New York Times reports that an initial FBI investigation has concluded that 14 of the deaths broke U.S. rules of engagement.
According to statements made by the Blackwater guards to State Department investigators, including a turret gunner named "Paul," it was the failure of the driver of a white passenger car to stop that triggered the shootings.
"I and others were yelling, and using hand signals for the car to stop and the driver looked directly at me and kept moving toward our motorcade," Paul said in the statement obtained by ABCNews.com.
"Fearing for my life and the lives of my teammates, I engaged the driver and stopped the threat," the Blackwater guard said.
Security experts say had he used a green laser, the incident might have been resolved with no or limited loss of life.
The helmet cameras, which record both audio and video, are advertised as, "Wherever pictures are worth a thousand words, digital video is PRICELESS."
As to the New York Times account of the FBI's preliminary findings, Blackwater's spokesperson said, "Blackwater supports stringent accountability for our industry. If official findings conclude that someone was complicit in wrongdoing, we will support holding that person accountable. However, the investigation remains underway and to the best of our understanding, the key people involved in the incident have yet to even speak with authorities."
Do you have a tip for Brian Ross and the Investigative Team?
November 15, 2007 | Permalink | User Comments (18)
Well, at least they are (finally) trying.
Posted by: Jordan | Nov 15, 2007 2:39:09 PM
More war crimes by an illegal occupation force. This is disgusting.
Posted by: G Newman | Nov 15, 2007 3:21:27 PM
Too Little , Too Late 17 dead and they are tring. in my opinion,Firing a Terrorist Organisation and not Supporting Black Water A Terrorist Organisation. Providing Terrorist with new Toys is Not trying only supporting them. We make acuse others for supporting terrorist's when we are guilty of the same. Once again our Double standards.
Posted by: Adeeb N | Nov 15, 2007 3:36:44 PM
Good stuff...
Posted by: Jazz | Nov 15, 2007 4:07:50 PM
What took so long?
Posted by: Samantha Bumpers | Nov 15, 2007 4:18:48 PM
Time for IMPEACHMENT of the 2 biggest
IDIOTS in the whitehouse.......
Posted by: Stan | Nov 15, 2007 4:24:24 PM
And the reason that Bush wouldn't do this before was _________________?
Posted by: George Stickers | Nov 15, 2007 4:25:17 PM
Are you serious. This is a non-lethal weapon. When was the last time you noticed real terrorists trying out those?
Posted by: Eric | Nov 15, 2007 4:47:02 PM
Way to go Bush/Cheney, Thank you for keeping the country safe.
I can't thank you guys enough for not wavering in your commitment to protect America and our interests. Thanks.
Posted by: Pat Shearon | Nov 15, 2007 6:16:55 PM
The lasers won't help at all in incidents like the fatal shooting. If the driver needs merely to continue heading straight on a path, then being blinded won't affect that.
The cameras are a great idea, however, and should have been used since day one. They would only cost about $600 per person (solid state, 20 gig, color with 24 hour battery)
Posted by: Tim | Nov 15, 2007 7:08:23 PM
Now if the terrorists would start using non-lethal weapons we would be in good shape.
Posted by: Sam_j | Nov 15, 2007 8:12:10 PM
What happens if an Iraqi citizen is within the 10 feet limit? Are they blinded? Are instructions given in Arabic BEFORE Iraqis are blinded?? This seems like more grasping at straws...
Posted by: Shawn Fassett | Nov 15, 2007 9:18:00 PM
make sure it's the same as we have on our city streets..while you're at it, the crossroads could use it too!
Posted by: gwenn | Nov 16, 2007 1:05:27 AM
that would be better. nice one.
Posted by: jr cajolo | Nov 16, 2007 6:42:02 AM
From my reading of the article it appears as if the lasers will be used to protect a moving convoy. This may work out in the open where you will see the supect vehicle early, but how is this going to help in a built up area. By the time you see a vehicle it may be moving to fast and be to close for a laser to make any difference. The vehicle will hit regardless.
Look to convoy deaths and kidnappings until this non-lethal toy is discredited. With systems like this being trialled in Iraq, I doubt if you will have to kick out private contracters, they will leave of their own volition.
A red flag for this toy is that the rep for the company is a former State Department security employee. I hope it was tested under realistic conditions before being used in life and death situations.
Posted by: davod | Nov 16, 2007 8:53:58 AM
This is used as a compliment to anything else they can do to reduce the killing. It's not a siver bullet that will solve every problem. But rather something that will help.
It's the rules of engagement that is killing most of our men/woman over there, just as in Veitnam. They hide behind women and children knowing if we don't kill their shields, they will, and just blame it on us anyway, so our tree hugging, weak minded, fags and actors in the US will continue to do everything they can to support the other side. I say we should kill them all and let ALLAH sort them out. As they say "just before blowing up someone". God is good!
Personally, I don't understand why anyone would want to die for 79 virgins in the after life. I would want at least 5 or 6 women in the mix that would know what's going on. I wonder if they just "assume" they would be female? But, to them it problably don't matter, much the same as most actors in the USA.
It rained on my new car today... impeach Bush! I understand Bush was in the parking lot today when my car got a new ding also.... Can't he do anything right?
Posted by: Michael | Nov 17, 2007 11:22:31 AM
"The lasers, with a pistol grip, are about the size of a three-battery flashlight. They sell for around $9,000 each." A special high-intensity flashlight designed to attach to the pistols of security and police officers costs about $200 which is still a lot more than $50 which can buy a dazzling 10 million candlepower searchlight. Did you look into the ownership of the company that makes the lasers? I'll make lasers all day long for only $8000 each and I'll give $6000 to buy health insurance for homeless veterans for each one I sell.
Posted by: Michael E. Maus | Nov 18, 2007 8:52:36 AM
Concussion grenades and flash bangs aren't suffice any more? I guess other means aren't suffice. Hooray for wepons!
Posted by: RNb | Nov 19, 2007 4:34:13 PM
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