Controversy over military vehicles for Iraq heats up

[jillan]

McClatchy Newspapers

WASHINGTON - In February 2005, Marines in Iraq made a "priority 1 urgent" request for 1,169 military vehicles with V-shaped undersides that save lives by deflecting blasts from roadside bombs.


But instead of those Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles, or MRAPs, the Marines back home sent armored Humvees, vehicles that offer far less protection. It wasn't until May 2006 that the Marines ordered the MRAPs, and then only 185 of them . . .

Defense Secretary Robert Gates now is asking the Marines to investigate and explain what happened. Today MRAPs are a priority with Gates. Congress is spending $8.4 billion to meet the military's request for 7,774 MRAPs. And the Army is checking to see whether it needs thousands more to replace Humvees.


Sen. Joe Biden, D-Del., a longtime critic of the war and a presidential candidate, wrote Gates in May asking him to determine by Friday how many more MRAPs are needed, and to set a production plan to get them into Iraq as fast as possible. He also has asked President Bush to declare the drive to build MRAPs a national priority.

Roadside bombs cause 70 percent of American casualties in Iraq, and MRAPs reduce the casualties by two-thirds.

Read rest of the article here:
http://www.realcities.com/mld/krwashington/news/nation/17369961.htm?source=rss&channel=krwashington_nation

While MRAPs reduce casualties by two-thirds, it is now coming out that there is another vehicle called THE BULL that does an even better of protecting our troops. Senator Biden is again leading the fight to get THE BULL to our troops. Hopefully this time our army will get these without all the bullshit red tape from those that say how much they support our troops.

[Tom Joad]

1. Better priority. give each Marine a Toyota Prius... after he is shipped home next month

and leave no US Marine behind in Iraq.

[w8liftinglady]

2. I agree wholeheartedly.I wish I hadn't already wrote my LTTE this week

...I LOVE to show the fundies how THEIR leaders are supporting our troops.

[jillan]

3. Agreed - but in the meantime

Do you really want our troops killed and maimed while they are over there?

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

4. Boy, pirhana, I certainly do!

Thanks for asking!

[w8liftinglady]

5. absolutely NOT-the point is-they knew,and didn't supply

just like body armor,just like the uparmored humvees.They could give a shit whether these troops live or die.It's NOT their family(My son is preparing for his 4th...YES 4th...deployment)Lying,motherfucking war criminals...they probably didn't have a golf buddy on the board of directors...no PNAC member.

[jillan]

6. Well I guess the good news in all of this is that Gates in finally doing something about it

But OMG - all of the lives and injuries that could have/should have been saved. You're right - same with the body armor.

How can they start this war and then do this to our troops?
And then not even give them the care they need when they come home?

It burns my butt.

[alfredo]

8. Remember, some of the troops didn't even have desert camos.

[w8liftinglady]

7. kicking for the weekend

[w8liftinglady]

9. lack of body armor and equipment

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/10/31/60minutes/main652491.shtml
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/en/doc/2003-10/14/content_271800.htm
http://www.commondreams.org/headlines03/1203-12.htm
http://www.louise.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=756&Itemid

[Elspeth]

10. Wonder if CACI and Haliburton had the MRAPS

...