https://pjmedia.com/richardfernandez/2010/03/09/leftboom/feed/PJ Media is a leading news site covering culture, politics, faith, homeland security, and more. Our reporters and columnists provide original, in-depth analysis from a variety of perspectives.en-usTue, 09 Jun 2026 22:22:26 -0400<![CDATA[The campaign against the IED threat in Iraq resembled in some respects the Battle of the Atlantic. Starting from nearly nothing in 2003 the &#8220;improvised explosive device&#8221; lurking under the roadbed, embedded in a concrete curb, in a dead dog or a garbage can &#8212; or sometimes taking the form of a long string of artillery shells wired to each other &#8212; became a major cause of Coalition casualties. Like the U-boats their success rose a crescendo and then faded away under a cocktail of countermeasures. The &#8220;Happy Time&#8221; for the IED bombers was the summer of 2007.]]>Tue, 09 Mar 2010 07:58:47 -0500<![CDATA[Richard Fernandez]]>https://pjmedia.com/richard-fernandez/2010/03/09/leftboom-n189662