Armed but armorless (Quarter of US Troops Iraq lack body armor)

[RamboLiberal]

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/tribune-review/national/s_159851.html

Nearly one-quarter of the 130,000 U.S. troops in Iraq still have not been issued a new type of ceramic body armor strong enough to stop bullets fired from assault rifles.
Delays in funding, production and shipping mean it will be December before all troops in Iraq will have the vests, which were introduced four years ago, military officials say.

Congress approved $310 million in April to buy 300,000 more of the bulletproof vests, with 30,000 destined to complete outfitting of the troops in Iraq. Of that money, however, only about $75 million has reached the Army office responsible for overseeing the vests' manufacture and distribution, said David Nelson, an official in that office.

Angry members of Congress have denounced the Pentagon. They say up to 44,000 troops lack the best vests because of the sluggish supply chain, significantly more than the Pentagon figure. Relatives of some soldiers have resorted to buying body armor in the United States and shipping it to their troops, congressional critics say.

<snip>

The House version of an $86.7 billion Iraq spending bill passed last week would include $251 million for body armor and for clearing unexploded munitions, although it's unclear if additional money would speed up the process at this point. President Bush's original request included no more money for body armor.

[FrenchieCat]

1. Now that's a damn Shame!

This sucks!

[teryang]

2. What a disgrace

<Congress approved $310 million in April to buy 300,000 more of the bulletproof vests...Of that money, however, only about $75 million has reached the Army office responsible for overseeing the vests' manufacture and distribution, said David Nelson, an official in that office.>

[RamboLiberal]

3. This deserves more attention

Again I'm wondering where the hell is the congressional investigation of all the shortages for our troops? And where the hell is the urgency. It's not as if the Pentagon didn't know we were going to war. Why didn't they have an item like this on an emergency production schedule ala WWII wartime production. I think there is no excuse for this.

[JackSwift]

4. Our troops have to wait for standard issue body armor

but you can bet that Halliburton and Bechtel don't have to wait to be paid for their looting. Our troops safety is not important to Bush, Cheney and Rumsfeld, who don't care at all about the casualties.

[Wickerman]

7. Accounting to outside preferred vendors

i.e., Halliburton is still done in house. Accounting and cutting checks in house has been subcontracted. Arthur Anderson?
/sarcasm.

Bush lied, a whole lotta people died.

[lumpy]

5. 2 weeks ago some Pentagon flubup said

the problem would be taken care of post haste and body armor was on the way. Meanwhile back at the ranch.

[newyorican]

6. This story has no legs...

because it's a lose-lose "political" issue.

We can blame Bush for not equipping the troops and Bush can blame Clinton for not leaving the military in good shape. Forgetting for a moment the logic behind the statements, when these 2 items are put side by side they cancel and everyone looks less capable.

[dbt]

8. This just in:

Missing vests stuck in media "filter." pResident urges citizens to remain upbeat. Details to follow.

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