Army to send older armored personnel carriers to Iraq after upgrading armo

[RamboLiberal]

http://www.estripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=26371

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.

These vehicles, both veteran warhorses, are the M113/A3 armored personnel carrier and the M577 command post carrier. Both will be tougher and safer than newly armored Humvees.

Army officials who pushed hard over the last two years for getting the M113 into duty in Iraq said it was more useful, cheaper and easier to transport than the Army's new wheeled Stryker armored vehicle, which also is in use in Iraq.

<snip>

At around 13 tons, the M113 is much easier to transport than the behemoth M1A2 Abrams tank, the Bradley Fighting Vehicle or even the wheeled Stryker.

<snip>

One serving officer, who asked not to be identified, said Rumsfeld "didn't even let us go to war with the Army we had; he made us leave half our armored vehicles at home in pursuit of lighter, faster and cheaper."

Dumb liberal question of the day - I haven't seen the Iraqis getting any armored vehicles. All I've seen are police vehicles like you'd see in any city here, pickup trucks and unarmored trucks. Pictures I've seen of them they don't seem to be much better armed than Barney Fife. How the hell are they supposed to take over security of Iraq!

Why haven't we ramped up production of armored vehicles here to give them? Someone needs to be asking these questions.

[Cocoa]

1. good point about the Iraqis' equipment

there's a big disconnect between what they're supposedly responsible for, and the attention paid to how well they're equipped.

[yorgatron]

2. oh crap

my MOS was 63T.armored personnel carrier mechanic.specifically,M113 and M577.does this mean i can be recalled now?

[RamboLiberal]

3. LOL yorgatron - Get your gear packed for either

Iraq or Canada!

[Florida_Geek]

9. As bob barker would say

COME ON DOWN

[damntexdem]

4. Step right up, soldier, and let me show you this fine used car.

And don't think of it as inferior to the new cars we make nowadays -- in fact, it's better than this new junk.

Of course, we couldn't let you have it until we got criticized for the crap we sent with you; but that's all behind us now.

After all, gotta make Iraq safe for Rummy.

[TheKingfish]

5. Can't give good equipment to the Iraqi army

Entire units have defected with their equipment.

[saigon68]

6. It won't matter--the IEDs will get bigger, armor is worthless.

Want to kick ass?? Just plant a much larger bomb--- One at least 2000 KG -- that will get the job done. --

Hell, it will even take out an Abrams tank crew from the overpressure. Idiots all.

[The_Casual_Observer]

7. Strange that the Iraqis and the VC before them didn't need

any of this shit to kick our asses. The the ones they show on tv wear street clothes, some don't even have shoes on. The US is so fucked in Iraq.

[Florida_Geek]

8. Tell me again about the 380 tons off big bang shit

the military did not secure. :ggggrrrrrrr:

[leftchick]

13. oh it is much more than that!

that was only one unsecured depot among many!

[TrueAmerican]

10. Older vehicles are more prone to break down

Is that really a good idea for our soldiers to be stranded in an Iraqi city in 120 degree temperatures. Soldier #1 "It's hot, open the doors." Soldier #2, "Sarge says we can't or we'll get blown up."

[DeepModem Mom]

11. "didn't even let us go to war with the army we had" --

quite a damning statement that guy made --

[Florida_Geek]

12. MMMmmm

M113A1 Armored Personnel Carrier

The M113A1, informally known as the Gavin, is a lightly armoured full tracked air transportable personnel carrier designed to carry personnel and certain types of cargo. The M113-family was developed from M59 and M75 by Ford and Kaiser Aluminium and Chemical Co. in the late 1950´s. The vehicle is capable of: amphibious operations in streams and lakes; extended cross country travel over rough terrain; and high speed operation on improved roads and highways.



All from http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/land/m113.htm

[leftchick]

14. obviously not meant for the "New Iraq"

:(

[MGKrebs]

15. I thought this was the kind of environment the Bradley

should be good at? Why wouldn't they have sent the Bradleys?