"unless humvees fall out of the sky" ...Not Enough Equipment to Arm Surge Forces

[RedEarth]

Equipment For Added Troops Is Lacking
New Iraq Forces Must Make Do, Officials Say

By Ann Scott Tyson
Washington Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, January 30, 2007; Page A12

Boosting U.S. troop levels in Iraq by 21,500 would create major logistical hurdles for the Army and Marine Corps, which are short thousands of vehicles, armor kits and other equipment needed to supply the extra forces, U.S. officials said.

The increase would also further degrade the readiness of U.S.-based ground forces, hampering their ability to respond quickly, fully trained and well equipped in the case of other military contingencies around the world and increasing the risk of U.S. casualties, according to Army and Marine Corps leaders.

............

"It's inevitable that that has to happen, unless five brigades of up-armored Humvees fall out of the sky," one senior Army official said of the feared shortfall. He expects that some units would have to rely more heavily on Bradley Fighting Vehicles and tanks that, although highly protective, are intimidating and therefore less effective for many counterinsurgency missions.


http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/01/29/AR2007012901584.html

[caseycoon]

1. If I'm not mistaken

there was ALREADY a good sized shortage of equipment for the troops on the ground before any others showed up. In addition, some of those just deployed to Iraqw had only 2 weeks of training. This whole thing is a mess!

[kineneb]

2. Haliburton policy

if vehicle in Iraq gets damaged, destroy it and requisition a new one from US gov. supplies... or at least so I have heard. So that may be one reason there are not enough supplies. They won't fix stuff on the ground, they just destroy it and replace it with a new vehicle. Your tax dollars at work.

[Little Wing]

3. Great, more bang per buck for the insurgents when you pack

6 guys in a hummer and not 4. I guess the other two will ride in the back