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| Iraq |
| US troops just cannon fodder: report |
| 2008-12-10 |
| A Pentagon audit has found that the US Defense Department failed to take proper measures to save the lives of troops against roadside bombs. An internal Pentagon investigation said in its new report that the Marine Corps and the other military branches were aware of the threat posed by roadside bombs and mines years before insurgent actions began in Iraq. The Pentagon carried out the audit after the Marine Corps was criticized for setting aside an urgent request from field commanders in 2005 for Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) armored vehicles. "DoD (Department of Defense) was aware of the threat posed by mines and improvised explosive devices (IEDs) in low-intensity conflicts and of the availability of mine-resistant vehicles years before insurgent actions began in Iraq in 2003," the audit found. "Yet DoD did not develop requirements for, fund, or acquire MRAP-type vehicles for low-intensity conflicts that involved mines and IEDs," a summary of the report said. Hundreds of US troops have been killed in Iraq and Afghanistan because commanders delayed provision of blast-resistant vehicles. |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #10 I think they compared our casualties vs. Iraq with theirs during the Iran-Iraq war, and didn't like what they saw. It is standard practice to project casualty estimates before you get into a war. Right now, their C&GS is probably saying to itself, "WTF!!! How the hell did they do that???" They are now having to face the ugly idea that as much cannon fodder they throw at us, they are still not going to achieve much in US casualties. |
| Posted by: Anonymoose 2008-12-10 18:03 |
| #9 Oops! I didn't notice the source. It did look so much like the NYT's style of reporting. |
| Posted by: tipover 2008-12-10 14:18 |
| #8 In another report, military sources confirm that the Army of the Potomac was aware of the danger of massed musketry fire as early as 1861 yet took no steps to protect US soldiers. Lincoln administration officials have so far failed to respond to the allegations. |
| Posted by: Baba Tutu 2008-12-10 12:23 |
| #7 The 'article' seems to overlook the Iranian role in supplying the explosives for those roadside bombs. |
| Posted by: SteveS 2008-12-10 12:18 |
| #6 It's Iranian Pravda, tipover. Don't get too excited about enemy propaganda. |
| Posted by: Mitch H. 2008-12-10 11:18 |
| #5 Total, absolute bullshi*! DoD was aware of the dangers of radioactive fallout as well, but no one built fallout shelters! You don't (import hulls - another story) assemble a Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) deploy the heavy bastard to the Gulf, train crews, and get it operational in 30 days. Without going into details, there was and continues to be a massive, I say again MASSIVE and very successful counter-VBID/IED effort throughout Iraq and Afghanistan. Counter-VBID/IED training programs in CONUS, and both active and passive measures in theater. Very little has enjoyed a higher priority than this effort. Special note to CAC, and The Center for Army Lessons Learned (CALL) from an old ranker: Ironically, the MRAP Buffalo and Cougar originated from designs made in South Africa and Rhodesia during the bush wars of the 70's and 80's. |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2008-12-10 10:09 |
| #4 Continue to think that Iran. Come at us in human wave attacks too. Scares the bejezus out of us. Really. |
| Posted by: DarthVader 2008-12-10 09:48 |
| #3 Careful, they're only cannon fodder if you sneak up on them. After that, they bite back. |
| Posted by: gorb 2008-12-10 02:37 |
| #2 Press TV Iran. The media eqivalent of performance art. |
| Posted by: tu3031 2008-12-10 00:25 |
| #1 I think I see 20-20 hindsight being applied here. Were the politicians that were busy spending the "peace dividend" and cutting the military reviewed in this report? |
| Posted by: tipover 2008-12-10 00:22 |