Iraqi security forces relying on dowsing rod.

[Archae]

I'm not making this up.
They are paying thousands of $$$ for *EACH* of these, getting all sorts of false positives and real bombs are sailing through their checkpoints.

A piece of pseudoscientific junk is still being used in Iraq to detect bombs. The offspring of other equally delusional products such as the Quadro Tracker, the DKL Lifeguard, and the TKS-2000, the ADE 651 is being used by Iraq's security forces despite warnings from the U.S. government that the devices are useless. The New York Times has the story (Iraq Swears by Bomb Detector U.S. Sees as Useless).

Retired United States Air Force officer, Lt. Col. Hal Bidlack, is skeptical and described the ADE 651 as nothing more than an explosives divining rod. Hal should note, however, that the con men behind these devices have built a defense against such criticisms. Treasure King Systems, the maker of the TKS-2000, warn prospective buyers that the device won't work if used by skeptics, dowsers, or individuals who "cannot respond to this type of equipment."* Fortunately for the makers of the ADE 651, Iraqi officials in charge of national security are true believers. Maj. Gen. Jehad al-Jabiri, head of the Ministry of the Interior’s General Directorate for Combating Explosives, attributes failure of the device to detect explosives to operator error. Operators must be rested, and have a steady pulse and body temperature, for the device to work. As Colonel Bidlack says: "It would be laughable, except someone down the street from you is counting on this to keep bombs off the streets."

Iraqi officials bought 800 of the devices from a company called ATSC (UK) Ltd. for $32 million in 2008, and an unspecified larger quantity for $53 million. They paid up to $60,000 apiece for the handheld wands. The Baghdad Operations Command announced yesterday that it had purchased an additional 100 detection devices.

Over a year ago, The James Randi Educational Foundation issued a direct challenge to Cumberland Industries, UK, to have the product tested under controlled conditions. If the product works as advertised, the JREF would pay them $1,000,000. No response. Similar devices have been tested by Sandia Labs and none have ever performed better than random chance.

http://www.skepdic.com/refuge/harm15.html#bombs