Attack Exposes NATO Weakness

Attack Exposes NATO Weakness

from The Diplomat by David Axe

A deadly suicide attack on a NATO convoy in Kabul at the weekend underscored a key vulnerability in the alliance’s practices. A vehicle filled with explosives rammed a heavily-armored transport traveling along a predictable route. Seventeen NATO soldiers and civilians died in the blast. The targeted vehicle was of a design known as a ‘Rhino.’ Custom-built by Labock Technologies in Florida, the Rhino is specifically designed to protect its occupants from bomb blasts. Weighing up to 13 tons, the Rhino comes in various configurations seating up to 36 people. Its sloped hull and sophisticated armor protect it from all but the most powerful explosives. The US military and its allies have used Rhinos for years. During the height of the Iraq war, Rhinos transported civilian and military personnel between bases in Baghdad – almost always under the cover of darkness and with helicopters and armored vehicles as escorts. Insurgents attacked Rhinos in ... Read More...