NYT: Lack of Armor Proves Deadly for Iraqi Army

[DeepModem Mom]

Lack of Armor Proves Deadly for Iraqi Army
By MICHAEL MOSS
Published: October 30, 2005


After a string of deadly attacks against Iraqi forces in the spring, American soldiers in the Diyala Province northeast of Baghdad established an operation at their Army base to add armor to the unprotected open-bed trucks used by the Iraqis. But it is a meager enterprise: four Iraqi ironworkers armed with two welding torches and thin sheets of metal.

Even as American forces are relying more on Iraqis to fight the insurgency, the Iraqi Army is facing some of the same procurement problems that American troops have experienced in getting adequate armor and other equipment, according to interviews in Iraq with American and Iraqi military officials. But if the Americans have faced an uphill battle in getting vital gear - their shortfalls continue to this day - then their Iraqi counterparts are confronting a herculean task.

The biggest shortage is in fortified vehicles. Unlike the Americans, the vast majority of Iraqis have neither armored nor unarmored Humvees, and are still having to navigate the booby-trapped roads of Iraq in pickup and flatbed trucks. The makeshift armoring operation started in the spring has managed to reinforce only about three dozen vehicles, leaving several hundred more still needing shields, according to American soldiers involved in the operation.

Meanwhile, Iraqi deaths continue to mount, particularly in Diyala Province where American troops have been working since February to engage more Iraqi troops in the war. At least 209 Iraqi soldiers and police officers have been killed this year in the provincial capital, Baquba, and a swath of the surrounding province, compared with the deaths of eight American soldiers in the same area, according to records released to The New York Times by American military officers who are working with the Iraqi troops....


http://www.nytimes.com/2005/10/30/international/middleeast/30armor.html?ei=5094&en=e45fe0a246fe1bc7&hp=&ex=1130644800&partner=homepage&pagewanted=all

[The_Casual_Observer]

1. Talk about "cannon fodder" for the sake of US oil.

[Rowdyboy]

2. These guys are driving flatbed trucks and sharing bullet-proof vests...

They have no way to protect themselves. Is it any wonder that Iraqi soldiers/policemen are dropping like flies? How can we expect them to take over the fight when we haven't begun to outfit tje to defend themselves?

[rzemanfl]

3. Lack of peace is the problem. Lack of armor is only a problem

because of the lack of peace due to a war we started under false pretenses.

[daleo]

4. I doubt the U.S. military wants the "Iraqi Army" to have armor

Or heavy weapons. They figure the resistance would end up with the stuff, so they won't give it to the puppet army. It shows what a quagmire this whole thing is.

[ECH1969]

5. The US has enough trouble getting Armor to our own troops

[maddezmom]

6. kick

[Barrett808]

7. Iraq troops go unarmored into fights

Iraq troops go unarmored into fights
By Michael Moss The New York Times

After a string of deadly attacks against Iraqi forces in the spring, American soldiers in Diyala Province, northeast of Baghdad, established an operation at their army base to add armor to the unprotected open-bed trucks used by the Iraqis.

But it was a meager enterprise: four Iraqi ironworkers armed with two welding torches and thin sheets of metal.

Even as American forces rely more on Iraqis to fight the insurgency, the Iraqi Army is facing some of the same procurement problems that American troops have experienced in getting adequate armor and other equipment, according to interviews in Iraq with U.S. and Iraqi military officials.

The biggest shortage is in fortified vehicles.

Unlike the Americans, the vast majority of Iraqis have neither armored nor unarmored Humvees. They still have to navigate the booby-trapped roads of Iraq in pickup and flatbed trucks. The makeshift armoring operation started in the spring has managed to reinforce only about three dozen vehicles, leaving several hundred more that still need shields, according to American soldiers involved in the operation.

Meanwhile, Iraqi deaths continue to mount, particularly in Diyala Province. At least 209 Iraqi soldiers and police officers have been killed this year in the provincial capital, Baquba, and a swath of the surrounding province, compared with the deaths of eight American soldiers in the same area, according to records released to The New York Times by American military officers who are working with the Iraqi troops.

(more)

http://www.iht.com/articles/2005/10/30/news/armor.php

[the observationist]

8. Unbelievable

Not only does the President start an unilateral war, but he doesn't have the balls to stand up and ask Congress for the money necessary to save the lives of the Iraqi soldiers.

Why do the majority of Americans think this type of activity is acceptable for a president? A guy who sends your children, grandchildren, friends, and relatives to war and fails to arm them appropriately.

My God how many mistakes can this guy make? Sending troops to their deaths. Unbelievable. I think murder is probably an appropriate word to use here to describe our president.

[Arkana]

14. He won't arm his OWN troops--what makes you think he'd arm

a bunch a' "furriners"?

[Rex]

9. The new shape charged IEDs are eating right through US armor.

I can't even imagine what hell is like for Iraqi soldiers. We've made a real shithole out of Iraq. Bush & Cheney need to resign.

[number6]

10. Iraqi Army : thanx * ... for nothing

"Even as American forces rely more on Iraqis to fight the insurgency, the Iraqi Army is facing some of the same procurement problems that American troops have experienced in getting adequate armor .."


need money for tax breaks :(

[Mika]

11. See?? We have increased Iraqi armored vehicles by a factor of 36 times!

:sarcasm: :puke:

[anotherdrew]

12. they are better off this way

Seems to me that these guys aren't going to get evac'd to Germany or the US hospitals. They'll be getting their care "in theater". Armor would generally buy them a few more days of misery.

[SlavesandBulldozers]

13. you don't go to war with the army you create, you go to w...

hey wait a minute!

[MrSlayer]

15. Welcome to 21st century battle.

It's like being a warrior from the Bronze Age except with RPGs and Bombs to deal with.