Why Is the U.S. State Department Buying High Explosives?

Apparently the U.S. State Department needs blasting caps, detonating cords and a variety of high explosives. If you think that sounds weird, wait till you read the purchase order yourself.

The U.S. State Department’s job is to implement the foreign policy of the United States and U.S. diplomacy efforts. It is essentially the equivalent of a foreign ministry in other countries. It’s not a branch of the military, and it’s not a demolition company, so why on earth did they put in an order for blasting caps, detonating cords, and a variety of high explosives on fbo.gov? I’m not making this up. Click here to go look at the page yourself. Just in case they take the page down I’ve uploaded a screenshot here.

Below is the list of items they are currently accepting bids for:

The Department of State requires the following items, Meet or Exceed, to the following:

LI 001: 1.1 Comp C-4 M112, 1.25 lb Block w/Taggant, 360, EA;
LI 002: Detonating Cord – 50 Grains / Foot, 18000, FT;
LI 003: Detonating Cord – 25 Grains / Foot, 45000, FT;
LI 004: Cast Booster – 230 gram – (1/2 pound), 18000, EA;
LI 005: Sheet Exp – PETN based – C2 Thickness, 180, LB;
LI 006: LINEAR Shaped Charge, Copper, RDX, 400 Gr/ft, 144, FT;
LI 007: LINEAR Shaped Charge, Copper, RDX, 600 Gr/ft, 144, FT;
LI 008: Blasting Cap – Fuse Type #8- High Strength, 1350, EA;
LI 009: Blasting Caps, Elec., 12 ft., 250 ms del., 1800, EA;
LI 010: Blasting Caps, Elec., 12 ft., 500 ms del., 1800, EA;
LI 011: Blasting Caps, Elec., 12 ft. 750 ms del., 1800, EA;
LI 012: Blasting Caps, Elec., 12 ft. 1000 ms del., 1800, EA;
LI 013: Blasting Caps, Elec., 12 ft. instant, 1800, EA;
LI 014: Safety Fuse, Green – Military M700 type, 18000, FT;
LI 015: Electric Igniter, 6 ft. MJG, 12600, EA;
LI 016: Fuse igniter, pull string type, 9000, EA;
LI 017: Conical Shaped Charge 11 gram RDX, 900, EA;
LI 018: HELIX, (Liq & Activator) 1-3/8″ x 8″ (ALUMINUM POWDER), 1296, EA;
LI 019: HELIX LIQUID (NITROMETHANE), 1296, EA;
LI 020: Fuse Lighter, M81, 4050, EA;
LI 021: Red Dot Smokeless Powder Double Base, 180, LB;

Aren’t these of things supposed to get routed through the CIA? Aren’t they the ones in charge of covert mayhem and mischief?

Perhaps Victoria Nuland and company have gone off the reservation.