With the recent threats from Bin Laden and Al Queda to attack Oil Fields, Pipelines, Facilities, Refiners and Assets of Oil Companies which supply the United States with it's need fuel, such operations will have to upgrade and defend themselves. There are many options from robotics to land mines. Yet many options involve killing trespassers indiscriminately with robotic sentinels:

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The problem is it might shoot the wrong person. Putting in landmines is also a long-term tragedy as they are there long after the threat is gone and often blow off the limbs of children and locals. These landmines are a serious problem in the world kill and maim tens of thousands each year and are extremely difficult to remove and remain long after the original planters of the mines are gone.

Instead of planting land mines or using robots to defend, a simple non-lethal plan is needed, one which prevent crossing of an area without killing anyone. Since the Middle East has many oil fields and these oil company assets need to be defended as well as areas prone to insurgent crossing, we should use the oil as a barrier to entry. An idea to defend a region may need to take into consideration some of the available close at hand opportunities. For instance creating a mote like perimeter around a region and filling it with oily, seawater. The oily seawater is already in the ground in many places as it is pumped into underground cavities created when the oil is pumped out. By mixing this oily saltwater and chemical polymer chains to make a "Goo" and then covering the mote with a layer of sand. This can be done easily by digging the mote, 100 feet wide and 10 feet deep and lining it with a plastic bottom. By increasing the underground pressure and drilling down and allowing the salt-water, which has been pumped in, to flow out into the newly dug lined mote, the canal can be quickly filled.

Once the mote is completely filled and before any of the oily water moisture evaporates, create a wind or dust storm to cover the "goo" with a layer of sand. Thus you have created a gooey mess covered with sand, which cannot be seen, but provides a barrier to stop crossings. Such a barrier will be able to prevent crossing or be penetrated by surface movement such as Camels, walking insurgents, Toyota Trucks or suicide car bombers. Oil Companies may also wish to defend their assets in this way. The United States government cannot defend all company assets or track down and defend every possible international terrorist target and it is also necessary that the United States stick to protecting Americans, due to costs and readiness to defend against future threats without over extending our resources.

If the Oil Companies are able to defend their own assets and secure the perimeters of their facilities against International Terrorists without such things which have been determined to be inhuman such as landmines or the outright shooting any trespasser for fear they might have hostile intentions, the human race is better served. If we can keep out insurgents as we complete our Nation Building post-war efforts, then those peoples will create their much over do democracies and experience the freedoms they need much sooner. By securing borders in this way we can prevent loss of US and Iraqi security forces today and protect other free nations in the future, by assisting them to better protect themselves, without the wasteful expenditure of life on either side, which propels further reciprocal responses and revenge motivated behavior. Such a tactic as an alternative to landmines makes a lot of sense.

"Lance Winslow" - If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs