Long an Iraqi target, no U.S. help in sight (MUST READ)

[MADem]

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/nationworld/iraq/bal-te.mortar11oct11,1,5285719.story?coll=bal-home-headlines

LSA ANACONDA, Iraq - This sprawling supply base on a dusty stretch about 50 miles northwest of Baghdad is officially known as a "logistical support area." But some of the thousands of soldiers and contractors who suffer daily mortar and rocket attacks have another name for it: "Mortaritaville."

At least a half-dozen soldiers and contractors have been killed and nearly 100 wounded here since April. There have been about two attacks a day since July. Three weeks ago, a young airman lost both legs and his right hand when a mortar shell slammed into the base.

Officers say Anaconda, the largest support base in the country, with 22,500 U.S. troops and 2,500 contractors spread over 15 square miles, is also the most frequently attacked. But there is no indication the soldiers will get the help they want to deal with their nagging and deadly problem.

Requests and questions

Since May, Brig. Gen. Oscar B. Hilman, commander of the 81st Brigade Combat Team, a National Guard unit from Washington state that operates the base, has requested 500 to 700 more soldiers. But he said the request has been denied....

This is a DAMNING indictment. Yes, friends, BUSH LIED when he said that NO ONE ASKED FOR MORE TROOPS. Tom Bowman is an experienced military reporter with a SHITLOAD of contacts in the highest rings of the Pentagon. God, weecowboy is an idiot son of an asshole.

[Qanisqineq]

1. kick

:kick:

[HuckleB]

2. Well, we can only hope this gets picked up and spread around.

It's not like there weren't plenty of critics who said that more troops would be needed both before and after the invasion. Bush is full of shit, as we all know. Unfortunately, there are far too many in this country who can't smell, and can't feel the smooshy stuff on their feet.

[flying_blind]

3. This is one to froward to the major media list

[bpilgrim]

4. nutt'n but bright skies and sunshine according to the neoCONs

guess this will be considered out-of-bounds for the upcoming 'domestic' interviews... i mean debates :crazy:

will it come up on the campaign trail at least?

peace

[karlrschneider]

5. They have 22,500 now and want 500 to 700 more?????????

That doesn't sound like enough to be much help...
:eyes:

[WannaJumpMyScooter]

9. The 22,500 are probably office pogues and people in transit

not MP's or combat soldiers.

They are looking at being able to patrol the area around to find the needle in the haystack of a mortar tube or two.

[0007]

6. A rag I only read about five time a year isn't worth a free registration

that would bring in more unwanted e-mails. I'll stick with the majors.

[MADem]

7. Tom Bowman

...is worth reading. You can find his stuff in other papers, but he is out of Baltimore. He knows EVERYONE, and I mean EVERYONE at the Pentagon. More flag and general officers than will admit it know his phone number by heart. He gets good, reliable military scoop, because people trust him not to twist their words and to report the, dare I say, NUANCE of an issue.

He also keeps his word...if you are off the record, you stay off the record.

[0007]

8. I'll take your word and sign up!

[MADem]

10. You can always go to

http://www.bugmenot.com/

Cut the URL of the place you want to see, paste it in, and they will give you a BS password. Or, you can call yourself Nanaya Gaddambizness and tell them you are 87 with an income over 200K. Does ANYONE tell the truth on those registrations?

[0007]

11. I understand, the point is they have your e-mail address.

[MADem]

13. Use a MAILINATOR address

That way, you can click on a link if they have a trackback mechanism, and then you are done. You make up the addy, you type it in, and any mail is there for a couple of hours, and then...buh-bye!

Go here-- http://www.mailinator.com/mailinator/Welcome.do

Works like a dream, especially if you are like me and do not want to soil a small mailbox with nonsense.

[IndianaGreen]

12. posted in wrong thread n/t

[MADem]

14. This was posted when it was new n/t

[IndianaGreen]

15. I am the one that posted in wrong thread

Sorry if you misunderstood.

[MADem]

17. No problem!

I'm still no expert at what goes where, or when, but I truly am trying real hard to work and play well with others!!!! :P

[sidpleasant]

16. I have a relative there

The base is mortared constantly. Back in the spring the insurgents scored a direct hit on a dining hall. Fortunately it was between meals so the hall was empty; if the round had landed a few hours earlier or later there would have been numerous casulaties. As if the constant attacks aren't bad enough, the base is run by a lunatic, Brig. Gen. James E. Chambers. David Hackworth has written a couple of scorching columns about how incompetent Chambers is. Chambers "had a ring of huge, concrete barriers erected around his VIP trailer complex quarters a full two and a half months before even 10 percent of his soldiers had any mortar or blast protection around their digs. The “Texas barriers” were placed with no gaps between them except for two breaks to allow the residents a walk-through – while nowhere else on this general’s base are any other soldiers afforded this airtight quality of force protection" according to Hackworth. Chambers dumps on his own soldiers in small ways too: he wanted to charge the grunts $3 to see a movie and $9 for a pizza.

[MADem]

18. What an ASSHOLE

Movies and pizza are an MWR line item, not a force protection or log support line item--Congress can immediately spot the difference because they are broken out in all budget briefs and testimony. That's just being a bastard.

What it tells me is that this nitwit is using peacetime standards in an effort to advocate for (his own) promotion--you get beaucoup brownie points in the peacetime services if your MWR is self-sufficient or makes a profit. But in a warfighting scenario, that "installation management" shit goes out the window. The important grades are in operational competence. Sounds like he is failing in that regard.

He's a coward, too, if he put up his concrete before giving protection to the crew. There is a very bad word for assholes like that--and I am sure his long suffering Marines know it all too well.