What if 1,000 Armored Vehicles Didn't Get to Troops and No One Cared

In the news jumble today -- a new White House front group targeting Republicans on Iraq, Ari Fleischer not knowing the name of the veterans he used in the ads, the president saying we should have stayed in Vietnam while he was defending the airspace of Texas from the VC, and the tragic helicopter crash that killed 14 of our troops -- an important story is getting buried.

Reuters reports that "U.S. troops in Iraq will receive at least 1,000 fewer special armored vehicles than expected this year due to the amount of time needed for shipment."

This is unacceptable. Completely and utterly unacceptable. The issue of getting the most up to date Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles has been a problem for a while, and it's no closer to getting solved.

For years, the United States Marines have urgently requested MRAP vehicles for use in Iraq. Ever since a 2005 memo was sent up the chain of command by then-brigadier general Dennis Hejlik, the Bush administration's civilians in the Pentagon knew of the need for MRAP vehicles. Yet, it wasn't until March of this year that the Pentagon began to move on providing the 3,700 MRAP vehicles requested by the Marines, and over 17,000 requested by the Army. Even still, contract requests that were put out to eight companies didn't forsee production and distribution of the vehicles until 2009.

Now we're finding the ones we've produced can't be shipped quickly enough? That is an outrage. Senator Joseph Biden has it right. In response to the slow production schedule foreseen by the administration, Biden told USA Today, "You cannot tell me that this country is incapable in the next six months of building every single damn one of these vehicles that needs to be built."

History says Senator Biden is right. America's industry has stepped up to the challenge of quick, quality production before:

- In the spring of 1941, the first M3 combat tank rolled off the line at a Chrysler facility -- just four months after Chrysler received the blueprints for the brand new vehicle. (Source: The New York Times, April 24, 1941, Editorial)

- During World War II, the Ford Motor Company applied its mass production innovation to the production of B-24 bombers. By the end of the war, Ford was producing one B-24 every 63 minutes. (Source: "Airpower Classics," Air Force Magazine, June 2006)

- At the Richmond Kaiser Shipyards during the second world war, it was only taking a little over two weeks to assemble an entire Liberty ship. (Source: National Park Service)

What excuse is there for the shamefully slow production and shipping of MRAP vehicles? If our industry once was able to build an entire bomber in an hour and an entire Navy ship in two weeks, why does the Bush administration show no problem with it taking over a year to build 20,000 MRAP vehicles? Why hasn't the President himself taken responsibility and called industry and the Pentagon out on their BS? Where is the leadership? Hell, where is the outrage?

Troops lives are at stake. In the military, if I knew troops lives were at stake and I just sat and watched a problem that put them in danger, I would get a serious reprimand, probable demotion, maybe court martial. But, the president and civilians at the Pentagon? Nada. That is the definition of outrage.

P.S. I also wanted to highlight a new ad we're unveiling today at VoteVets.org. You can view it below. We're kicking it off in Maine in a few days, and then plan to take it to ten other states and districts. Oh, and unlike Ari Fleischer, I know the name of this veteran -- John Bruhns. I talk to him almost every day, as well as many, many other troops and veterans who also served in Iraq, like me.

Follow Jon Soltz on Twitter: www.twitter.com/jonsoltz

Comments

[woodsywizz]

Just a couple of comments from a DESERT STORM veteran. 1) The US had thousands of armored Humvees and APC's [armored personnel carriers] here in the states in vehicle parks while troops in Iraq were driving 'soft-skinned' vehicles. "Going to war with the Army you have...." was a complete lie, both untrue and intentially misleading. 2) While a B-24 may have rolled out of a factory every 63 minutes, there were dozens of factories and each plane took many weeks to build. Also, Ford had a LOT of trouble making airplanes at first. Autos are far less demanding. You can't park a plane and call a mechanic when it goes 'on the fritz' inflight!

[itmaybetoolate]

amurica ain't what she used to be.

A multiple choice test:
amuricans are
a. distracted by hilton/lohan/vick and don't have time to care
b. tired from working multiple jobs and don't have the energy to think about it
c. so "patriotic" they would never raise such questions!
d. unable to think about anything except their mortgage payments
e. overwhelmed by it all
f. afraid if you're not with us, we'll have to fight them here (?)
f. all of the above

We are pissing in the wind!

[itmaybetoolate]

oops - g. is all of the above

[MinneapolisBob]

My fellow Huff-poster. You may have heard about the $15M ad campaign the ReBushlican war supporters have launched. The site is called "freedoms watch."
www.freedomswatch.org/video.aspx

Their phone number which they have "live" persons you can actually talk to is
1-877-222-8001

Please view the false information they are spreading, and call them after you have watched the videos.

[zull]

Great post. You know, when FDR was in charge during WWII, they could get things done. Sure, they didn't have the technology then that they do today, but if FDR's administration was in charge today, you could darn well bet those armored vehicles would have been built and soldiers in Iraq would have been using them for years.

The problem is purely the result of the military industrial complex that Ike warned everyone about. The way to solve this problem is to vote for leaders who are not tied to that military industrial complex. Push for legislation and support candidates that require strict campaign finance reforms and the banning of lobbyists.

[smheart78]

Why does it take a guy that is on the Foreign Relations Committee instead of anyone on the Armed Services Committee to call for these items!? Where are are real leaders at!?! If it weren't for Biden, it would be guaranteed that 0 MRAPs would be going.

[shelbinator]

Sometimes people make fun of Biden for being an occasional hothead, but dammit it's times like this you need someone to get a little hotheaded about this crap! Or this "malarkey" as he likes to say.

[Kansas Evans]

I think what EVERYBODY's forgetting is that we "support the troops" by not questioning their commander, not by sending them proper equipment. Uh, duh!

On a serious note, the whole ordeal is sickening.

[baylaw73]

Let's make this very clear. The failure to properly equip our troops is the ultimate responsibilty of human beings. Those people must know (or can be fairly charged with knowing) the consequences of failing to deliver the vehicles with all possible haste. The lack of these vehicles is causing death. Therefore, everyone responsible for shipping these vehicles to Iraq is guilty of murder. Every soldier that dies from lack of armor is another count of murder. Period. As another historical note, to anyone who cares, look at the history of the U.S.S. Yorktown between the battles of The Coral Sea and Midway. Nothing short of a miracle. No wonder that generation is so proud.

[JimReed]

That generation can be proud for fighting to save the world. This generation is fighting to steal oil because we have way more strength than we need to protect our country, and rich people see ways to use that excess strength to expand their riches. Don't talk about protecting the troops without also talking about what they are doing to the world.

[baylaw73]

Having a dear friend who went twice, and fully expects to go again, makes it hard for me to sign on to your POV, Jim. However, your point is certainly valid, and I do not want to sound as if I'm blindly "support the troops." Other comments I have made indicate I believe they have an obligation to resist this war. That being said, it does not mean they should be left exposed by criminal negligence.

[BuckBurris]

What's the matter? The contractors are making money, ain't they? Ain't that good? Ain't God in His heaven? Ain't all Right with the world? What's the difference if a few thousand somethings or other don't get where they're going this day?: Ain't there any tomorrow any more?

[TitaniumAvatar]

Interesting that they cannot be shipped in time, as the US will be in Iraq until the sectarian violence stops. The Sunnis and Shia have only been foes for about 1400 years. The over/under is about 20 years.

[ConcernedAboutRFuture]

They certainly had no problems shipping millions of dollars on pallettes... that mysteriously got lost!

[THEANTIROVE]

The answer is obvious. Contract the work out to China.

[rmreddicks]

You can make a lot more money by pretending to build stuff than by building stuff. Cuts the overhead. It ain't the boss's kid getting blown up. When do we get to set up the war crime tribunal?

[kevinabt]

You can set it up right now if you wanted. You might have a difficult time getting the accused to come to the trial though.

[KeysDan]

Robert Paul has a great name for this misadventure: Iraq Nam. As the fabled historian, George W. Bush, now tells us, the two wars are alike, except for the quagmire part. Moreovr, there is light at the end of the tunnel. The surge is working in one,two-square mile area, infrastructure is improved to the point of providing up to 4 hours of electricity a day (if the militias permit),and, with presidential prodding, al Maliki is responding beautifully in that he will not ask others (aka Iran) for help, at least through August. Remember, the Bushian philosophy of the soldiers role is being carried on by the neocon heirs to the Nixon Administration: Cheney, Rummy, Wolfie, et al, and their sock puppet, W. In a television interview, Nixon stated (in response to the interviewer's concern for troop casualties in Viet Nam) that soldiers are expendable and should not be an important part of the policy calculus. The Bush Administration apparently shares this outlook in itssupport of the fighting troops, as well as those killed and injured, save for photo ops.

[works4me]

America is not ready to hear any of this. I am convinced that one of the biggest missing stories of the 2004 election/post election was how many people that voted for Bush the first time just could not come to grips with the USA being in the wrong or making big mistakes. It's almost too much to show reports from Iraq with quick half informative comments from the TV news. It seems pre-required that the same "news" segment repeat the official White House take for the sake of "balance reporting". It's too rare to have the same MSM anchor then say "there is no evidence to substatiate the White House claim". They know - Americans struggle with the concept of our Government making decisions that run against that "well I'm proud to be an american, where at least I know I'm free" song.
In regards to the post election story:
I recall so many "red state" voters on TV saying that they voted for Bush again because he got us into this and he deserves a chance to get us out. I doubt that they want to read this story. It is of interest mainly to those of us that did not want our troops there to begin with.
I also realize that you don't get Americans to watch your TV programing by reminding them of their/our imperfection. This country has been in denial. Our inner detractors call those of us not so willing to be in denial "people that blame america for everything".
I don't need to blame anyone on this count...just get our troops these MRAPs (and other needed) protection. If unable to do so - get them out.

[disgustedcitizen]

If Ford and GM would stop producing their monster gas-guzzling Hummers, Suburbans and Expeditions for just a couple of month, they could turn out the more then enough of the badly needed MRAPs. Surely, the few masculinity-challenged idiots can wait that long to hang their "I support the troops" bumper sticker on their brand new extended penis.

And as for getting the few they do have to the troops, the pentagon says it more "cost effective" to send them by ship which takes 35 days. Well, since they are already pissing my tax dollars in to the bottomless hole that is Iraq, I, for one, give the Pentagon my permission to send the damn things by air and save a few lives.

[LiarLiarIraqsOnFire]

While I agree with most of your comment, I have to correct you on one small detail - American Motors (A.M.General) is the manufacturer of HumVees and Hummers. BTW, the military HumVees are built, but NOT armored, at the A.M.General plant in Mishawaka Indiana. The armor kits are built eleswhere as add on kits. HumVees are wonderful vehicles for desert warfare, but they are worthless against IED's.

[rmreddicks]

they armor some of them a bit north of Cincinnati. I guess some of the side armor is useful if the IED and the Humvee have an unhappy moment together. As far as I know they're not doing shaped armor on the underneath. Doubt there's enough clearance.

[rmreddicks]

It might probably help if the most financially independent of us would pay a bit more in taxes. Never seen a war that no one had to pay for.

[glitz]

You know, I get so tired of people saying we are not paying enough..we are not involved enough.. Trillions will be devoted to this totally insignificant country that has been involved in wars since before Christ...why now?? Oil. None of the reasons given by this administration have shown fruit. Almost 4,000 American lives have been "given"..over 27,000 wounded, most with life long injuries that the current group of idiots has no clue how to pay for their care. The latest is "Pre-Condition"!!! If the troops are not equipted properly, they die or suffer for the rest of their lives. This administration from the beginning is into "sound bites" and not facts.

[nowaterboardUSA]

I think the answer to this problem is corruption and bloated gummit In WW2 there was much less of both. Also, when everyone in the gumment world is trying to get a piece of the action, it takes a long time for everyone to get their payoff before the actual product is built and shipped.

[glitz]

Unfortunately you are right..just remember how fast they got the trailors (you remember the ones that by law couldn't be used in a flood zone) made and shipped to New Orleans, just to wind up in a field somewhere to rot. Somebody got paid big time..obviously the money isn't flowing to the right people to get this equiptment made and shipped. It's only been 5 years after all.

[ZanIts1984]

Also, in WWII the whole nation was mobilized and all resources were directed towards the war movement. The nation was behind the War and sacrificed. You do not have that kind of support for the war and they only way to win a war overseas like that is to have the backing of the people.

[Unsean]

I hate to bring this up, but government isn't the problem here. The old canard about government doesn't bear water, especially when there are people within and without it who do what they can to sabotage it in an effort to 'privatize' (another word for enriching themselves and their friends) what it happened to do at a particular moment.

If those armored vehicles aren't reaching the troops, look no farther than Bush. He's pretty quick to use the bully pulpit of the Presidency to attack those that believe that the war is wrong, yet the only thing you hear about this from him is silence.

Deadly silence