…I’m glad to hear someone is outraged but it should hardly be surprising. We, the US military, went into this war with fiberglass and canvas humvees and Vietnam era flack vests. Congress wants to extract as much political value out of each round of funding approval. So, it should really come as little surprise that major equipment upgrades such as a request for 1200 new MRAP vehicles got put on the back-burner and then short changed.
Everyone says they support the troops but at the end of the day, it is the US military that is at war. America goes on about its daily life, no longer interested in the war. Politicians are interested in the war only insofar as its usefulness as a political tool. Democrats hope that the war in Iraq is the level with which they can pry the Whitehouse from the Republican grip.
If America, as a whole, decided to get behind Iraq, I would venture a bet that we would see progress beyond our wildest imagination in one year. If Congress, both sides of the aisle, asked what does the military need to finish this thing and how can we get it to them. If American businesses asked, what can we do to help the American military survive and do a better job. If American businesses asked, what can we do to help jump start the Iraqi economy. Go look at how many auto manufacturers brought out new car models between 1941 and 1945. What do you suppose they were doing? How much longer would it have taken for the Allies to beat Hilter and Tojo if the American public has simply turned away and ignored what was happening in Europe?
Aloha
[update] Here’s an article that tells the whole story. It’s the Marines that have come out and said it but bet you very last Washington, the issue affects all services.
[posted with ecto]