From Bob's World above:
Probably the most effective LOO for reducing IEDs is to be much more aggressive in our IO campaigns, locally and globally, challenging the manhood of any Pashtun who would let an IED do his fighting for him. We cannot underestimate the power of the offensive warrior culture on these people. Sneaky defensive tactics are beneath them. We need to rub that in their faces.
Bob,

From this faraway armchair this LOO (method) is not effective. Frontier warfare in the Imperial era was rarely a "stand up" fight, ambushes were favoured, albeit with rifle fire, not IEDs (although I think they were used) and within the Pashtun culture is are such 'sneaky tactics' contrary to their culture? My reading is that they are not. Add in the Soviet experience and the apparent success in the use of IEDs - hardly a good starting point for an IO campaign.

I anticipate some of those with real experience may be restrained from comment.