U.S. shamefully delayed request to ship vests to Iraq

[CatWoman]

U.S. shamefully delayed request to ship vests to Iraq

By DANIEL B. HUNT

Gainesville


August 14. 2004 6:01AM

As a veteran who has seen combat, I'm disgusted that any military vehicles in Iraq are not “up-armored,” meaning they can't stop bullets, let alone roadside bombs.

Marion County Sheriff Ed Dean got a request for bulletproof vests to line the Humvees' sides and floor panels from deputy Fred Chisholm, a reservist in Iraq serving in the 351st Military Police Company. By May 2004, Dean collected more than 850 vests and asked the military to ship them to Iraq.

It should have been easy, as in New Jersey, where a group collected and sent bulletproof vests to Iraq with hardly any delay.

Instead, more than 800 vests sat for months (and might still be sitting) in Marion County, because U.S. officials seemed more interested in downplaying the problem than solving it.

It's shameful that Washington officials failed to include armored Humvees in their $87 billion war-spending request. It's downright immoral that officials threw political resistance at helpful civilians in Florida.

http://www.gainesville.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20040814/EDITORIALS02/40813030/-1/editorials

[Sugarbleus]

1. Yes, it is a damnedable shame. Where did the $87 bil go to

anyway? The cons keep pointing fingers at Kerry about not voting for that fiscal package, though it passed in spite...but WHERE DID THE MONEY GO? Obviously it didn't go into armoured vehicles and armoured vests etc... Only Haliburton and the "brass" had such luxuries.

The rank and file soldier had to beg home to send those things to them. It's just a scandal and an outrage!

This admin and cronies are utterly morally and ethically bankrupt. :grr:

[DeepModem Mom]

2. Very damning article -- unbelievable --

As all here know this is real. My nephew (thankfully back safely from Iraq for some time) had to buy his own protective gear.

[Kanary]

3. Since this doesn't seem to hit the main press, I hope all here will

use this info, with the resource, in LTTEs

This must be stuck under the nose of every RWer who ever reads LTTEs!

What I really wish I could do is print up a bunch of copies, and put 'em out at all VFW posts! :evilgrin:

Kanary

[oasis]

4. "U.S. officials seemed more interested in downplaying the problem than

solving it". Condi and Rummy are leading spokespersons for the department of governmental incompetence.