Comments on: After Years Of Misleading Excuses, Pentagon Finally Seeks Lifesaving Vehicles For Troops In Iraq

By: Michael M

Michael M — Mon, 23 Jul 2007 03:53:49 +0000

Unbelievable! I was in the South African army in 1974 and we already had the V shaped bottom on the troop carriers back then.
It took this lot 33 years to “catch up”!!

These guys are a joke. It’s not their asses on the line. Maybe if each 1 had to have their own child in the armed forces they would be more focused on pragmatic outcomes.

By: SkyStalker

SkyStalker — Sat, 21 Jul 2007 15:48:14 +0000

Well America seems to like it’s big SUV’s! Guaranteed, the British Army uses Armored Rovers which don’t offer ideal protection but compared to Hummers, they are much more efficient especially thanks to the “cage” which was implemented as a defence against both RPG’s and IED’s, why did the Pentagon withhold such a life-saving measure when they are quite literally a couple of bars that offer vital protection to the occupants!

By: NoOneYouKnow

NoOneYouKnow — Thu, 19 Jul 2007 16:39:17 +0000

One of the things that kills me about this story is that MRAPs are manufactured by at least a dozen countries; the Pentagon could have bought these things of the shelf for pocket change, along with the necessary spares and tools.

By: Chocolate Jesus

Chocolate Jesus — Thu, 19 Jul 2007 10:00:35 +0000

Yes, Dragon Skin armor for the troops would be good, plus, if you get shot while wearing one and survive because of the armor, you get a free (non armored) jacket…

http://www.pinnaclearmor.com/dragon-skin-survivors.php

By: BigNoseKate

BigNoseKate — Thu, 19 Jul 2007 03:47:04 +0000

68 days till my son returns from Iraq from his current tour.
Comment by Wayne â€” July 18, 2007 @ 4:18 pm

Wow, two-digit midget…that’s the scary time. I wish you and your son well! Peace in brings peace out.

By: The Oracle

The Oracle — Thu, 19 Jul 2007 02:00:14 +0000

Let’s call this delay in providing our troops over in Iraq with proper equipment, no matter what the cost, what it really is…MURDER.

Or, I guess, due to the Rumsfeld-run/Republican-run/”loyal Bushie”-run Pentagon’s long delay in even placing an order for these soldier-saving MRAPs, a better criminal description would be that all the Republicans involved should be charged with being accessories to MURDER.

And Republicans have the sheer audacity to claim that they “support the troops”!!!!!

Tax cuts for the wealthiest during a time of war, at a time when as much taxpayer money as possible and necessary should be going to our soldiers and the war effort.

Bush attacking Iraq, and getting our soldiers killed there, even though Iraq had nothing to do with the 9/11 attacks. And if Bush started the Iraq War because of some insane grudge he had against Saddam Hussein, then the blood of all of our soldiers who’ve died in that Iraq hell-hole is dripping from his fingertips.

The “inherent contempt” Bush administration throwing exorbitant amounts of taxpayer money at all their crony Republicans pals in the military-industrial defense network, while not being willing to pay the extra money for MRAPs that could have saved countless American G.I. lives and stopped countless American G.I.’s from being severely maimed and crippled over in Bush’s war in Iraq.

I thought I’d reached the upper limit on my outrage-ometer over the most corrupt and vile administration in American history…until I read this USA Today front-page article on July 2nd about these long held-back MRAPs. If a Republican now says to me that Republicans “support the troops,” I’ll slap them upside their lying heads.

I served in the U.S. Air Force during Vietnam. I know what “supporting the troops” really means and involves. And the Bush administration has shown time and time again that instead of supporting our troops, they have what seems to be an “inherent contempt” for our military and our soldiers placed in harm’s way.

By: Marie

Marie — Thu, 19 Jul 2007 01:34:30 +0000

Ret. Col. JR
That is a disgusting news item, which you put into perfect context. Our guys died for lack of proper equipment, while the “good stuff” was given to the Iraqi army first.
As I said before, they must have had some contractual leftovers that they wanted to use up before the new no-bid contract was begun.
And our guys pay the price.
AND Bush doesn’t want to increase military pay either – from a news item today.
He says he supports the troops, and his lemmings believe him — they are blind. If they opened their eyes they would see the truth, but that would mean they have to admit their own stupidity.

By: Ret. Col. Jack Ripper

Ret. Col. Jack Ripper — Thu, 19 Jul 2007 00:23:26 +0000

I don’t see any trolls on this discussion and that’s a good thing, but you have to notice that this is an issue they won’t touch with a ten foot poll. They’s rather be over there on the Matthews-Miller lovefest making snide remarks about how hysterical lefties are. What unbelieveable cowards.

By: Ret. Col. Jack Ripper

Ret. Col. Jack Ripper — Thu, 19 Jul 2007 00:11:13 +0000

From the original USA Today article on this from a few days ago: “Even as the Pentagon balked at buying MRAPs for U.S. troops, USA TODAY found that the military pushed to buy them for a different fighting force: the Iraqi army.”

That’s right, folks. This administration’s no-bid, cronie war-profiteering scam produced a system where up to 741 of our soldiers were killed because they wouldn’t give our soldiers something they gave to the Iraqi army.

Bush supporters: are you proud?

By: Marie

Marie — Wed, 18 Jul 2007 23:23:11 +0000

68 days till my son returns from Iraq from his current tour.
Comment by Wayne â€” July 18, 2007 @ 4:18 pm

We will be counting the days here too, Wayne.

By: Marie

Marie — Wed, 18 Jul 2007 23:20:30 +0000

There must have been some contracts of less -safe vehicles that needed to be completed before they would order this new batch of armored humvees.

Why don’t Republicans and Bush support the troops?
Today Bush said a 3 1/2% raise for them is too much.
Why are people sitll standing by Bush?

By: katy

katy — Wed, 18 Jul 2007 23:03:24 +0000

…if the Pentagon had stopped making excuses and starting producing MRAPs, â€œ621 to 742 Americansâ€ killed in IED attacks might still be alive.

so… did anyone point out the OTHER obvious benefit of such a
production??? … like jobs, no plant closures…

jeez… the ww2 citizens are surely confounded about that…
…

By: veritas

veritas — Wed, 18 Jul 2007 22:26:10 +0000

Besides, with regard to the Pentagon stepping up production of this new vehicle, why do it now when supposedly we’re de-escalating soon? Maybe because that’s all a big fat lie, too?

By: veritas

veritas — Wed, 18 Jul 2007 22:24:46 +0000

ardee: Unfortunately, the “incompetency effect” is throughout this administration – just look at the thirtysomething fall guys/gals holding key offices and they’ve all pled “just didn’t know”. They’re setting up the incompetency platform throughout the administration as an attempt to immunize and isolate themselves from complicity when the people vs. Bush/Cheney lawsuit comes about.

By: ardee

ardee — Wed, 18 Jul 2007 22:11:23 +0000

Gates is incompetent and should be fired!

By: zuch@ix.netcom.com

zuch@ix.netcom.com — Wed, 18 Jul 2007 21:47:36 +0000

I still maintain what I’ve said before. Simple physics dictates that explosives rapidly lose their effectiveness with increased distance from the target, often inversely to the square or cube of the distance (particularly for larger distances). The most effective and cheapest means of conferring resistance to explosives is to maintain a sufficient distance from them. As I pointed out, a distance of some 6000 kilometres should make even the cheapest and flimsiest troop carrier quite safe from any mines in Iraq.

Cheers,

By: Wayne

Wayne — Wed, 18 Jul 2007 21:34:53 +0000

Hey, Wayne. Wimberley here! Enjoying some more rain thatâ€™s keeping the Hill Country awesomely green this year.
Comment by Candyce

Yeah I just got back from venturing in the rain to grab a burger for my lunch break, the company cafe closes at 4 and my lunch is at 4 today hehe.
Wimberly is beautiful, I love stopping at Wimberly Glassworks now and then

By: Right but right

Right but right — Wed, 18 Jul 2007 21:29:34 +0000

Just to add some facts – such as they are.

Today, an MRAP costs between $600,000 and $1 million.

The current â€œrule of thumbâ€ for enlisted (recruit, train, equip, pay benefits) casualties average $500,000 dollars while officers, depending upon their military occupation range from one to two million dollars each. This means the average light tactical vehicle with one officer and four enlisted personnel is protecting 2.5 million dollars of the DOD’s budget.

By: Candyce

Candyce — Wed, 18 Jul 2007 21:20:34 +0000

Hey, Wayne. Wimberley here! Enjoying some more rain that’s keeping the Hill Country awesomely green this year.

By: Anacher Forester

Anacher Forester — Wed, 18 Jul 2007 21:17:17 +0000

So the Pentagon has “found a way to accelerate production” but “it’s going to take a little extra money.” How exactly are “they” finally going to step up production? Exactly how much of this additional $1.3 billion is “a little extra money?” This delay has been sickening and unconscionable. Even more disturbing is how by not delivering vehicles in a timely manner military contractors can simply request more money to do what they were contractually bound to do in the first place. Force Protection’s stock rises while more soldiers die.