NYT: U.S. Struggling to Get Soldiers Improved Armor

[sabra]

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/08/14/international/middleeast/14armor.html?ei=5094&en=0fca05dd8b935b11&hp=&ex=1123992000&adxnnl=0&partner=homepage&adxnnlx=1123962541-9DuQCPMhxzm5JZZcjj1URw&pagewanted=print

U.S. Struggling to Get Soldiers Improved Armor

For the second time since the Iraq war began, the Pentagon is struggling to replace body armor that is failing to protect American troops from the most lethal attacks by insurgents.

The ceramic plates in vests worn by most personnel cannot withstand certain munitions the insurgents use. But more than a year after military officials initiated an effort to replace the armor with thicker, more resistant plates, tens of thousands of soldiers are still without the stronger protection because of a string of delays in the Pentagon's procurement system.

The effort to replace the armor began in May 2004, just months after the Pentagon finished supplying troops with the original plates - a process also plagued by delays. The officials disclosed the new armor effort Wednesday after questioning by The New York Times, and acknowledged that it would take several more months or longer to complete.

Citing security concerns, the officials declined to say exactly how many more of the stronger plates were needed, or how much armor had already been shipped to Iraq.

[bemildred]

1. Gee, sounds like an arms race. nt

[BOSSHOG]

2. "Tens of thousands" "String of Delays" "Several more Months"

Our kids are dying while the commander in chief vacations in texas and dines with millionaire donators.

He is in charge. This is another bush legacy. Failed leadership leading to more dead Americans.

FREE REPUBLIC MEMBERS - you are responsible for the moron in the white house. What are you going to do about this little outrage? Nothing. Absofuckinglutely nothing. Except wave your flags and preen over your magnets. You and every bush supporter in this country are the scum of the earth.

[MichiganVote]

3. Bullshit! Bullshit! and more Bullshit! They care more about their medals

than they do about our kids! Where is the leadership? Where are the fucking morons that voted for this asshole war? Hiding, vacationing, the do nothing, care about nobody Congress and executive branch.

Worthless, that's what all these people are. They can fire up an entire branch of the government in Washington and in Florida for the Schaivo mess but they can't get armor to these kids in over two years?

Bullshit!

[LSU_Subversive]

4. just one more "oversight" in the planning for this quagmire, ahem.. war.

pure incompetence and greed. that is, the republican party.

[Why Syzygy]

5. I think that is hurting troop morale

Yeah that. Not a grieving mother camping out in a ditch.

So tell me. Does halliburton not sell body armor? Can they get the contract so our men and women can possibly survive this total screw up which they had no part in creating?

[Cha]

6. Maybe they should rescind some of

their God Damn Tax Cuts..maybe there should be some sacrifice on the part of Americans for the bush War ON IRAQ??!!

My custom made Blue Magnetic Ribbon with "PROTECT OUR TROOPS!" on the back of my car is Dead On.

http://www.supportourribbons.com/maker_show.php?id=24308

[rodeodance]

7. sad case of affairs isn't it--

[Cha]

8. Let's put it this way..

I Never thought I would be living "1984" in the 21st Century when I was reading it back in the '60's!

[Kool Kitty]

18. Exactly, and stop overpaying Halliburton for

whatever the fuck it is that they are doing over in Iraq. Try using the money to keep the soldiers safe.

[alarcojon]

9. Way to "support our troops", asshats!

Another example of the poor planning and failed leadership by Bushco.

How many more have to die?

[Olney Blue]

10. This is an outrage.

What is the problem? Heaven and hell should be moved to get this fixed NOW.
This is unacceptable. I'm furious.
:grr:

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

11. But getting Haliburton a no bid contract.

No problem

[jbnow]

12. A "a string of delays in the Pentagon's procurement system"?

Now if the billions not accounted for over there was used to hasten the "procurement system" in Iraq why are we having to go through red tape here to get what the troops need?
And what is the money going to?

[Why Syzygy]

16. Must be

about food for oil.

[Betsy Ross]

13. They could send one more armored SUV to Iraq

The one used by * in his motorcade as he passed Cindy Sheehan. Why should he be better armed than our troops?

[Why Syzygy]

17. good point

oh but he is. But if anything happened to our dear leader, who would lead the war against terra?

He's a one man show. That's for sure.

[Solly Mack]

14. My husband arrived in Iraq w/ no plates. Then he got Vietnam era plates

and finally...finally...after months...he got new plates...that were recalled....and then, shortly before his tour was up...he got "decent" plates

fortunately, he never got shot.

[FourStarDemocrat]

15. They oughta fabricate pieces of W's skull for plates and vests

..because nothing gets through that stuff.

[annabanana]

24. lol!

thick headed, sure enough!

[Voltaire99]

19. Armor's a good test of Thomas Frank's "Kansas" thesis

Which, as you know, holds that the GOP has succeeded in using cultural issues to get ordinary people to vote against their economic and social interests.

Well, the survival of your ass is your highest personal interest.

If you're getting it blown off for want of decent armor and still vote Republican....

[magellan]

20. Proving once again that BushCo doesn't really care about our troops

How many years does it take the asshats in Washington to stop talking about properly equipping our troops and DO IT?? This is SINFUL!!!

Oh, why bother moaning. It's the same deal with everything these bloody idiots say. Why would they have any interest in making sure our soldiers get the best when they're busy siphoning billions off to Halliburton, who in turn are only interested in how much they can put in their pockets.

Our troops are being screwed thirty ways to Sunday by Bush**.

[Porcupine]

21. Better armor won't do jack to save the troops.

Our units live in fortified bases and venture out for patrols and intelligence directed attacks on suspected arms caches and what have you. What kills them is IEDs, car bombs and suicide bombers.

The rebellion has all the time it needs to set up any individual ambush. They also seem to have huge supplies of explosives. Since they can obviously crack an armored humvee they can add just a bit more to jelly the guys inside.

You cannot govern from inside a tank or inside a fort. Likewise you cannot win a ground fight in the desert while wearing 60 lbs of ceramic plates. All the rebellion has to do is pin these guys down and watch them cook.

It's stupid to even pretend we can win.

[oscar111]

22. Nationalize the great weapons firms

if you want fast supplies.

the greedheads running our fragmented system now, cause the delays and shoddy goods.

TVA and the libraries are better examples of getting things done.

Also, the Great Weapons Firms are historically condemned down the centuries for actually starting wars to gain new profits.
=====
I have the impression that such war triggering has generally been the main reason nations have nationalized them.
=======
GB Shaw , Major Barbara play.. the term G WEAPONS FIRMS.

I think brit nationalized them long ago... tho Thatcher might have added reversal of that to her slide down into the dark chaos of Reaganism. "Thatcher the milk snatcher" was her nickname in brit, after she nixed a program of free milk to newborns.

Like a true reaganite .. before reagan even got started.

[annabanana]

23. It would have been cheaper to secure Al Qua-qa..

And keep some of that powerful ammunition out of circulation. I don't understand why this little tidbit doesn't resurface every once in awhile.... oh wait...that's right

(sometimes I feel like a broken record.. anyone here old enough to remember what that sound like?)

[oscar111]

25. a billion pounds of plastique at al-qua qua

i recall it.

the tonnage worked out to a billion pounds.

it took one pound to down the flight over scotland, right?

so bush gave away a billion bombs.

ALL these roadside bombs may come from bush's gift to the enemy.