An MRAP is an armored vehicle especially effective against mines and other roadside explosives. They have a V shaped bottom which diverts the explosive power of a mine and the passenger compartment is some three feet above the ground. The sides of the vehicles are also heavily armored.
These vehicles aren’t new. The basic technology has been around since the 1970’s and the pentagon evaluated and purchased some of the latest variations in 2000. These vehicles should have been the standard for combat patrols in areas potentially occupied by irregular forces. They’re resistant against mines, roadside bombs and other improvised explosive devices (IEDs).
So, why aren’t our troops in Iraq using them? That’s a damn good question. The first problem was that Rumsfield and Bush et al. didn’t plan for the kind of insurgent warfare that Iraq turned into. They planned for a conventional war that was over in a couple of weeks. The second problem is that even after it became obvious to the rest of us that this fiasco was going to last a while the administration didn’t place a high priority on getting the right equipment into the hands of the troops in Iraq.
Given the lack of MRAPs, first unarmored and then armored HUMVEEs, which are not nearly as effective against IEDs, were used instead. This is just one example of the “just enough force” philosophy used in the Iraq war. Excuse my French, but screw that, in war what you need is OVERWHELMING force if you want to keep down the casualties.
Finally, finally, large quantities of MRAP vehicles are being purchased and will be shipped to Iraq in order to phase out the HUMVEEs for combat patrols. This should have been done BEFORE the war was started.
The delay has cost the lives of at least 1,000 soldiers and perhaps more. Pursuing a war but failing to provide the right equipment, MRAPs, improved personal armor and tactical communications gear, despite repeated appeals from the troops in theater and military experts is to my mind a criminal offense.
Let me make this perfectly clear. There are 1,000 or more young Americans dead simply because they were sent into a war without the proper equipment. This equipment was readily available but those that planned and ran the war were either too incompetent to realize it was needed or just didn’t care.
This is a crime that can be laid right at the door of the Bush Administration. Like I’ve said before, Bush, Cheney, Rumsfield and Rice not only deserve to get booted out of office, but I’d like to see them in the dock on charges of criminal negligence. They might not deserve to be convicted but at least we’d have a record of the blatant stupidity of the worst administration in American history.
These vehicles aren’t new. The basic technology has been around since the 1970’s and the pentagon evaluated and purchased some of the latest variations in 2000. These vehicles should have been the standard for combat patrols in areas potentially occupied by irregular forces. They’re resistant against mines, roadside bombs and other improvised explosive devices (IEDs).
So, why aren’t our troops in Iraq using them? That’s a damn good question. The first problem was that Rumsfield and Bush et al. didn’t plan for the kind of insurgent warfare that Iraq turned into. They planned for a conventional war that was over in a couple of weeks. The second problem is that even after it became obvious to the rest of us that this fiasco was going to last a while the administration didn’t place a high priority on getting the right equipment into the hands of the troops in Iraq.Given the lack of MRAPs, first unarmored and then armored HUMVEEs, which are not nearly as effective against IEDs, were used instead. This is just one example of the “just enough force” philosophy used in the Iraq war. Excuse my French, but screw that, in war what you need is OVERWHELMING force if you want to keep down the casualties.
Finally, finally, large quantities of MRAP vehicles are being purchased and will be shipped to Iraq in order to phase out the HUMVEEs for combat patrols. This should have been done BEFORE the war was started.
The delay has cost the lives of at least 1,000 soldiers and perhaps more. Pursuing a war but failing to provide the right equipment, MRAPs, improved personal armor and tactical communications gear, despite repeated appeals from the troops in theater and military experts is to my mind a criminal offense.
Let me make this perfectly clear. There are 1,000 or more young Americans dead simply because they were sent into a war without the proper equipment. This equipment was readily available but those that planned and ran the war were either too incompetent to realize it was needed or just didn’t care.
This is a crime that can be laid right at the door of the Bush Administration. Like I’ve said before, Bush, Cheney, Rumsfield and Rice not only deserve to get booted out of office, but I’d like to see them in the dock on charges of criminal negligence. They might not deserve to be convicted but at least we’d have a record of the blatant stupidity of the worst administration in American history.
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