Swiss tanks to go to Iraq (180 M113 Surplus)

[RamboLiberal]

http://english.people.com.cn/200506/30/eng20050630_193176.html

The Swiss cabinet announced Wednesday that it has approved the sale of 180 tanks to the United Arab Emirates, who will present them to Iraq.

As to criticism from main political parties that the sale damages the principle of neutrality, the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (Seco) justified the decision by saying that Switzerland, like other countries, had "an interest in ensuring that the situation in Iraq stabilized as soon as possible."

However, this was only possible when Iraqi security forces were adequately equipped to protect themselves, Seco added in a statement.

The M113 tanks have a value of 12 million Swiss francs (9.4 million US dollars) and part of a Swiss army surplus. They are in good condition, said Seco.

[cliss]

1. Do they have armor?

Unlike ours? I wonder how they'll fare when they get real close to a car bomb.

We'll see.

[5thGenDemocrat]

2. Hey, they're from the Swiss Army

They not only have armor, but 72 other tools -- including a corkscrew.
John
As if Iraq isn't already screwed enough.

[Kagemusha]

3. The sad thing is that this is an improvement. (Over jeeps anyway)

Though in Vietnam people didn't like riding IN them when bombs were attacking convoys. So I've read, at least.

[Wildewolfe]

4. the M113 isn't a tank...

... it's an APC, Armored personel carrior. Has an aluminum armored hull that can stop bullets below 50 cal (if not Armor piercing rounds) and shrapnal from explosions.

Better armor than the humvees, but not really heavy.

[jayfish]

5. Another One Of Rumsfeld's Follies

Had the US provided enough troops during the initial blow-out. They could have secured all of the Iraqi army's abandoned armor instead of torching it. I remember seeing clips of many perfectly good BMPs and T72s grenaded by US forces because they couldn't stick around to secure the area.

Idiots!


Jay

[radar]

6. Recycle?

Where's the profit in that? Give 'em new Toyotas at $55,000 a piece. It's only US taxpayer money; not like Rummy is paying for any of it.

"...questions about how insurgents are getting expensive new police equipment. The Toyotas, which cost more than $55,000 apiece, and Glocks, at about $500 each, are hard to come by in Iraq, and they are rarely used by anyone other than Western contractors and Iraqi security forces.
...a police force created, trained and funded by the United States..."
Sunni Men in Baghdad Targeted by Attackers in Police Uniforms
By Tom Lasseter and Yasser Salihee Knight Ridder June 27, 2005
http://www.occupationwatch.org/headlines/archives/2005/06/sunni_men_in_ba.html

*I wonder how the up-armoring of the M113s for our soldiers is going?

"The Army, beset with complaints that its troops are going into combat in inadequately armored Humvees, will send an older and less used class of armored personnel carriers to Iraq after spending $84 million to add armor to them...."
Army to send older armored personnel carriers to Iraq after upgrading armor By Joseph L. Galloway, ©Knight Ridder
European edition, Wednesday, January 5, 2005
http://www.estripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=25453&archive=true

[WannaJumpMyScooter]

7. M-113's? Casket Closets

is what we called them in Nam, IIRC.

[NNN0LHI]

8. Everyone is getting rid of their junk for the tax write-off n/t