Army: GIs refused mission because of safety concerns

[bemildred]

Today's "No Shit, Sherlock" award.
You can smell the anxiety to make this go away.
Air support for a fuel convoy doesn't sound very "efficient" to me.

BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- Eighteen soldiers who refused to make a fuel delivery in Iraq were concerned about their safety and vehicle maintenance, the U.S. military said Sunday.

The military initially did not indicate what caused the soldiers to refuse their mission Wednesday.

But Brig. Gen. James E. Chambers said Sunday that preliminary findings indicate the soldiers were concerned about whether the equipment used would keep them safe.

"I can't think of anything that we're not doing right now to better protect our convoys," Chambers argued. "We are working constantly to find better ways to protect them."

CNN

[SoCalDem]

1. Either way, these soldiers are in deep shit..

They took the unforgiveable step of notifying their families, so that it would become public. That's a mortal blow to the military.. They do not like having "outsiders" mucking around with their battlefield decisions.. They may eventually "let these soldiers off" with a mild reprimand, but you can bet your life that they WILL PAY...and PAY DEARLY..

I really hope that thse soldiers are watching each other's backs.:scared:.

[bemildred]

3. True, but like the Marine said:

"What are they going to do, send me to Iraq?"

[JPace]

9. "they WILL PAY...and PAY DEARLY"

Yes.....but they will be alive.

[SoCalDem]

11. I sincerely hope so..

If they are made to stay in Iraq, you can bet that they will be sent on more "suicide" missions.. Hell..MOST missions over there could be suicide missions.. Just BEING there is very dangerous..

[tsuki]

12. Not as much..

as the idiot commanding officer who pushed them. Know your men. 1st rule of the military.

[TaleWgnDg]

18. . . . think about it . . .

there's the no bid, no limit private contractor such as Halliburton and then there's the no questions asked "yes, sir" military . . . interplaying w/ each other . . .

who pockets the money? our money. off our military kids' backs. in this shooting gallery. what's the death tally now? how many injuries?

. . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . WHERE'S THE OUTRAGE???

[SoCalDem]

19. Folks like KBR,Halliburton are responsible for the "volunteer" army

Think about it.. The jobs that they are being paid to do (GOUGING US) are all jobs that military personnel USED to do..

Somehow, congress was convinced that they could cut the size of the military, by outsourcing the "grunt" work, that the green recruits used to have to do.. They were told that it would be cheaper, and would reduce the numbers needed in the active duty military..

What they were NOT told, is that the costs would be HUGE..the service shitty, and that the military would end up PROTECTING these mercenaries who were now making TEN times what the soldiers make..

In truth, we need a much larger military than we have now.. why else would they need to call up 50 year old guys?? and single moms??

It's all a shell game..

[flyingfysh]

2. if they really wanted to better protect their convoys

they would just take them out of Iraq entirely.

[MADem]

4. I heard that

...they were not given helo (gunship) support, the fuel that they were supposed to deliver was tested and found to be contaminated, that they lacked adequate vests, and the vehicles were not armored.

Sounds like not only a suicide mission, but a stupid mission. Here's your bad fuel, have a nice day! Christ, will this be a mini Port Chicago? We need a Thurgood Marshall to step up, now!

[tsuki]

13. Not only contaminated, but

it had been rejected by another combat unit. Everyone knew it. This has been discussed in another thread, but I believe it was an illegal order to a supply group that would put a combat group in mortal danger and more than that, endanger the mission.

The diesel had water in it, which one person said would blow the fuel ejectors off. In the middle of a firefight, you should have to service your humvee?

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

17. Just goes to show how unprepared our armed forces were.

Fuck Rumsfeldt, Wolfiwitz and all the other neo-con bastards.

[acmavm]

5. Poor guys, but why were they hauling around CONTAMINATED FUEL

in the first frigging place???????????????/

[The Magistrate]

16. Halliburton Must Meet Its Profit Targets, Ma'am...

"LET'S GO GET THOSE BUSH BASTARDS!"

[DuctapeFatwa]

6. Well at least it wasn't on ethical or moral grounds

gotta look for that silver lining.

[ezekiel333]

7. "GIs Who Refused Job Had Unarmored Trucks" AP

<http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=514&e=2&u=/ap/20041017/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq_unit_investigation_28>

Now I want someone to explain to me why the F*** we are having our troops drive unarmored trucks around in a war zone. A war zone where our convoys are under attack daily. No wonder they refused.

[sandnsea]

14. "trucks weren't armored" - $87 billion

"They don't have bulletproof protection on the vehicles,"

This is the story to turn the $87 billion against Bush. Why aren't these vehicles armored YET?? Where'd the money go? To a $7 billion no-bid Halliburton contract?

This is when we need to get together and hit the media, when it really really matters. Not on a stupid Mary Cheney story.

[ezekiel333]

15. I agree

This needs to be spread far and wide. As Amber McClenny said, "Raise Pure Hell".

BTW: Today's Clarion-Ledger has an article saying 5 of the troops may recieve General Discharges. <http://www.clarionledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20041017/NEWS01/410170391/1002>

[Journeyman]

8. The answer to everything for these clowns is "air support". . .

They've had trouble with insurgents on the ground planting booby traps that kill GIs: Hit 'em with an air strike. Wedding party getting out of hand? Hit 'em with an air strike. Someone wants to stop people from getting to the ballot box? Hit 'em with an air strike. Scared troops have to be forced to convoy contaminated fuel? Protect 'em with an air strike.

And no, so long as the brass has its head up its ass, I'll support the troops but I won't support ignorant madness sure to simply kill 'em.

[sundancekid]

10. this unit has GIRENES ... they DO know something about watching each

other's backs ... it's about time the "lambs sent to the slaughter" get to say their piece!!!

and, yea, what are "they" gonna do: "send them to Iraq?"
hope it makes it ALL OVER the system ... Col. Huck, are you out there???

[dansolo]

20. No mention of the contaminated fuel?

The mission served no purpose. What I'd like to see investigated is who was responsible for the fuel, and how could they be delivering contaminated fuel to our troops? There is a far bigger scandal here under the surface.