Bremer wall
Encyclopedia
A Bremer wall is a twelve-foot-high (3.7 m) portable, steel-reinforced concrete wall of the type used for blast protection throughout Iraq
and Afghanistan
. The name is believed to have originated from L. Paul Bremer
of the Coalition Provisional Authority
, who was the Director of Reconstruction and Humanitarian Assistance for post-war Iraq following the Iraq War of 2003 in the early years of the Iraq War.
The Bremer barrier resembles the smaller 3-foot (1 m) tall Jersey barrier
, which is used widely for vehicle traffic control on coalition military bases in Iraq and Afghanistan. To indicate that the Bremer barrier is similar but larger, the 12 feet (3.7 m) tall intermediate-sized Bremer barriers are usually referred to as Texas barriers (but not to be confused with the 3½ foot (1.1 m) Texas constant slope barrier
). By this same naming convention, the largest barriers, which stand around 6 metres (20 ft) tall, are called Alaska Barriers. Unlike the Jersey barrier which has sloped-sides at the base, the Texas and Alaska barriers have a rectangular ledge (usable as a bench for sitting or resting) which is approximately knee high for a typical adult.
Alaska barriers are typically used as perimeter fortifications of well-established bases in Iraq and Afghanistan.
These T-shaped walls were originally developed by the Israel
is in the Israeli West Bank barrier
. The term "T-wall" is commonly used by soldiers throughout Iraq and Afghanistan, due to their cross-sectional shape resembling an inverted letter T.
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
and Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
. The name is believed to have originated from L. Paul Bremer
L. Paul Bremer
Lewis Paul "Jerry" Bremer III is an American diplomat. He is most notable for being the U.S. Administrator to Iraq charged with overseeing the country's occupation after the 2003 invasion. In his role as head of the Coalition Provisional Authority, he reported primarily to the U.S. Secretary of...
of the Coalition Provisional Authority
Coalition Provisional Authority
The Coalition Provisional Authority was established as a transitional government following the invasion of Iraq by the United States and its allies, members of the Multi-National Force – Iraq which was formed to oust the government of Saddam Hussein in 2003...
, who was the Director of Reconstruction and Humanitarian Assistance for post-war Iraq following the Iraq War of 2003 in the early years of the Iraq War.
The Bremer barrier resembles the smaller 3-foot (1 m) tall Jersey barrier
Jersey barrier
A Jersey barrier or Jersey wall is a modular concrete barrier employed to separate lanes of traffic. It is designed to both minimize vehicle damage in cases of incidental contact while still preventing crossover in the case of head-on accidents....
, which is used widely for vehicle traffic control on coalition military bases in Iraq and Afghanistan. To indicate that the Bremer barrier is similar but larger, the 12 feet (3.7 m) tall intermediate-sized Bremer barriers are usually referred to as Texas barriers (but not to be confused with the 3½ foot (1.1 m) Texas constant slope barrier
Constant Slope Barrier
A constant slope barrier is a traffic barrier made of reinforced concrete and designed with a single slope that is used to separate lanes of vehicular traffic...
). By this same naming convention, the largest barriers, which stand around 6 metres (20 ft) tall, are called Alaska Barriers. Unlike the Jersey barrier which has sloped-sides at the base, the Texas and Alaska barriers have a rectangular ledge (usable as a bench for sitting or resting) which is approximately knee high for a typical adult.
Alaska barriers are typically used as perimeter fortifications of well-established bases in Iraq and Afghanistan.
These T-shaped walls were originally developed by the Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
is in the Israeli West Bank barrier
Israeli West Bank barrier
The Israeli West Bank barrier is a separation barrier being constructed by the State of Israel along and within the West Bank. Upon completion, the barrier’s total length will be approximately...
. The term "T-wall" is commonly used by soldiers throughout Iraq and Afghanistan, due to their cross-sectional shape resembling an inverted letter T.
External links
- In the Business of Blast Walls, Saturday, April 5, 2008. Includes many photos.