Tripwire
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Look up tripwire in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. |
A tripwire is a passive triggering mechanism. Typically, a wire or cord is attached to some device for detecting or reacting to physical movement. From this basic meaning, several extended and metaphorical uses of the term have developed.
[edit] Metaphorical usage
The Berlin Brigade stationed in the divided city of Berlin during the Cold War was given the mission to be the "tripwire" for a Soviet incursion into West Germany.[1]
[edit] Literal usage
Military usage may designate as a tripwire the wire attached to one or more mines — normally bounding mines and the fragmentation type — in order to increase their activation area. Alternatively, tripwires are frequently used in boobytraps, whereby a tug on the wire (or release of tension on it) will detonate the explosives.
Soldiers sometimes detect the presence of tripwires by spraying the area with Silly String. It will settle to the ground in areas where there are no wires; if there are any, the string will be suspended in the air but not set them off due to its light weight. It is being used by U.S. troops in Iraq for this purpose.[2][3][4]
[edit] References
- ^ "...but what a tripwire we were!!!" posted on the Berlin Tankers web group 21 August 2005, retrieved June 16, 2008:
To conclude, I will again agree that we were a trip wire for World War III, but what a great tripwire we were. If an invasion had ever occurred we would have innevitably lost, but the price that the enemy wold have paid to take Berlin would have crippled them.
- ^ Martens, Ellin (2006-11-19). "Not So Silly String In Iraq". TIME.com. http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1561143,00.html. Retrieved 2007-10-16.
- ^ "A Serious Use For Silly String". CBS News. 2006-12-06. http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/12/06/iraq/main2234543.shtml. Retrieved 2007-10-16.
- ^ "FOX VIDEO: 'Silly String' is saving lives over in Iraq". The Raw Story. Archived from the original on 2007-10-12. http://web.archive.org/web/20071012184140/http://rawstory.com/news/2006/FOX_VIDEO_Silly_String_saving_lives_1204.html. Retrieved 2007-10-16.
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