# Woodward: US's secret "Manhattan-Project" program responsible for recent Iraq success **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 16, 2008, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woodward-uss-secret-manhattan-project-program-responsible-for-recent-iraq-success/463761 "2008-09-16T00:16:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![bordelond](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bordelond/32/150_2.png) [@bordelond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bordelond)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2008, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woodward-uss-secret-manhattan-project-program-responsible-for-recent-iraq-success/463761/21 "2008-09-18T13:09:40Z")
> [@rbroome](#): > > the ability to use lasers bounced off glass windows to record conversations has been reported for decades. Now see, Poundstone didn’t mention lasers at all. The way he phrased it made the windowpane thing seem much more difficult to pull off. Maybe he wasn’t at liberty to divulge, at the time. ---
**Author:** ![BrandonR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@BrandonR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrandonR)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2008, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woodward-uss-secret-manhattan-project-program-responsible-for-recent-iraq-success/463761/22 "2008-09-18T17:23:55Z")
> [@GilaB](#): > > A lot of the suggestions don’t sound right to me, since I don’t see how they’d let you track a target (I’m assuming that’s a person) while they’re inside a building. I remember watching a TV show a few weeks ago on National Geographic channel that showcased new technologies police/special forces were starting to utilize. One was a device that could basically “see through solid walls” enough so that people inside appeared as blips on a remote display and they would know when people were entering/leaving rooms, etc. Not sure how applicable that is on a larger-scale basis, or if it’s even being used overseas. I forget the specific technology it used, but I want to say radio waves perhaps? ---
**Author:** ![mlees](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@mlees](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mlees)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2008, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woodward-uss-secret-manhattan-project-program-responsible-for-recent-iraq-success/463761/23 "2008-09-18T17:28:49Z")
> [@BrandonR](#): > > I remember watching a TV show a few weeks ago on National Geographic channel that showcased new technologies police/special forces were starting to utilize. One was a device that could basically “see through solid walls” enough so that people inside appeared as blips on a remote display and they would know when people were entering/leaving rooms, etc. Not sure how applicable that is on a larger-scale basis, or if it’s even being used overseas. > > I forget the specific technology it used, but I want to say radio waves perhaps? A sensitive infra-red sensor can do that. [Thermography - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thermographic_camera) ---
**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2008, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woodward-uss-secret-manhattan-project-program-responsible-for-recent-iraq-success/463761/24 "2008-09-18T17:38:56Z")
> [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](#): > > The insurgents got tired, or are saving their strength & waiting until we leave. > > And the Army is taking credit.:rolleyes: None of that would’ve happened without the Army killing a whole bunch of al-Qaeda terrorists. ---
**Author:** ![BrandonR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@BrandonR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrandonR)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2008, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woodward-uss-secret-manhattan-project-program-responsible-for-recent-iraq-success/463761/25 "2008-09-18T17:47:54Z")
> [@mlees](#): > > A sensitive infra-red sensor can do that. [Thermography - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thermographic_camera) Wouldn’t solid walls block the radiation coming from the people? ---
**Author:** ![puppygod](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@puppygod](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puppygod)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2008, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woodward-uss-secret-manhattan-project-program-responsible-for-recent-iraq-success/463761/26 "2008-09-18T19:06:39Z")
> [@BrandonR](#): > > I remember watching a TV show a few weeks ago on National Geographic channel that showcased new technologies police/special forces were starting to utilize. One was a device that could basically “see through solid walls” enough so that people inside appeared as blips on a remote display and they would know when people were entering/leaving rooms, etc. Not sure how applicable that is on a larger-scale basis, or if it’s even being used overseas. > > I forget the specific technology it used, but I want to say radio waves perhaps? Or just [radar](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5vSrDTTvZtQ), maybe? Seriously, modern high-end radars can do really amazing things. ---
**Author:** ![mlees](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@mlees](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mlees)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2008, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woodward-uss-secret-manhattan-project-program-responsible-for-recent-iraq-success/463761/27 "2008-09-18T20:29:59Z")
> [@BrandonR](#): > > Wouldn’t solid walls block the radiation coming from the people? Probably. For some reason, I was thinking of some “cop” movies that had SWAT dudes with sniper scopes that allowed them to see suspects moving about inside a building across the street, through window blinds and drywall walls, but that might have just been hollywood stuff. There are sensors sensitive enough to see the heat of recently made footprints, the body heat on a doorknob, and recently used electric devices, but probably not through solid walls. You can see the “heat leak” of a suspect hiding in tall grass and bushes. There may be little tell tale clues like that that can indicate if someone is currently occupying a small building. ---
**Author:** ![smithsb](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smithsb/32/12107_2.png) [@smithsb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smithsb)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2008, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woodward-uss-secret-manhattan-project-program-responsible-for-recent-iraq-success/463761/28 "2008-09-20T16:08:50Z")
> [@Paul in Saudi](#): > > I presume it is simply an improved lash-up of intel to the deciders to the shooters. That being said, it would be interesting to speculate on potential new targeting technologies. > > I once worked on a project that could detect internal-combustion engines at great distances by their incidental (radio) transmissions. Does the human body have something like this? > > I like the chips secretly implanted in everyone we ever picked up, but such a wide-reaching program would well-known by now. > > Another more basic option would be a system that could track a target, even if he mingled with many others in a crowd. He goes in the building, gets up in the morning, goes to work and all this time we can distinguish him from everyone else. I’m back in Iraq and Paul’s correct. Instead of the intel, thinkers, operations, and killer folks operating in a long chain; it’s more of a big huddle now. Missions are dispatched immediately on intel; forensics and intel personnel go on the missions, people are immediately interrogated and evidence analyzed and new missions are executed off that information the same night; sometimes two of three cascading followups to the initial raid. The old term was “getting inside the cycle” of the enemies time to react. Probably a new buzz word or phrase by now. It’s been very effective. It keeps the bad guys from picking up on how close we are to getting them. Makes them move all the time (physically and mentally tiring - had bad guys turn themselves in because of exhaustion), and keeps our own PR types from blabbing about the latest intelligence. The last statement is a biggie. When we got Zahawari, our folks couldn’t wait to blab; about his death, how he was killed, there may have been special operations involvement, local sources provided tips, why yes we did find computers with files, on and on - all violations of OPSEC (Operational Security). We drudges get beaten to death about security but the brass and politicians can yak all they want. The above plus sensors finally operational from the Roswell ship and our psychic shock troops. I wouldn’t rule out improved sensors. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2008, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woodward-uss-secret-manhattan-project-program-responsible-for-recent-iraq-success/463761/29 "2008-09-20T16:35:50Z")
> [@toadspittle](#): > > Some sort of hardcore parabolic microphone system to eavesdrop on them? What good would hearing a bunch of moans and grunts do? Oh, wait, I see what you mean now. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woodward-uss-secret-manhattan-project-program-responsible-for-recent-iraq-success/463761.md?page=1)