Pentagon questions Obama’s soldier story (get ready for more of this)

[CatWoman]

Captain tells NBC he was referring to shortages for training

WASHINGTON - The Pentagon on Friday tried to cast doubt on an account of military equipment shortages mentioned by Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama, whose campaign team stood by the story.

In a debate with rival Hillary Clinton on Thursday evening, Obama said he had heard from an Army captain who served in Afghanistan and whose unit did not have enough ammunition or vehicles.

Obama said it was easier for the troops to capture weapons from Taliban militants than it was "to get properly equipped by our current commander in chief," President Bush.

I find that account pretty hard to imagine," Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman told reporters.

"Despite the stress that we readily acknowledge on the force, one of the things that we do is make sure that all of our units and service members that are going into harm's way are properly trained, equipped and with the leadership to be successful," he said.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23301273

[FARAFIELD]

1. i READ THAT LEAD

Then when you read the article it is a much more jumpled picture. MSNBC is the worst and writing headlines. The captain told Obama what Obama said, he didnt have enough stuff. By the end of the article its clear that OBAMA war right about what he said. And so was the captain. Sheesh I hate their crap

[KittyWampus]

2. it's already been confirmed as true.

[thoughtcrime1984]

3. Well of course the Pentagon is going to deny this charge

Do you really think anybody other than Democrats are going to agree that this could be/is happening? We've been sold a shitty bill of goods for over 7 years now.

[fenriswolf]

4. oh just like we dont torture

or rape, or kill civilians for no reason.

[zulchzulu]

5. Perhaps the Pentagon can explain how 30% of weapons in Iraq are UNACCOUNTED FOR

Just how do we take ANYTHING the Pentagon says about weapons in Afghanistan when 30% of arms in Iraq are UNAACOUNTED FOR!

Weapons Given to Iraq Are Missing
GAO Estimates 30% of Arms Are Unaccounted For
By Glenn Kessler
Washington Post Staff Writer
Monday, August 6, 2007; Page A01

The Pentagon has lost track of about 190,000 AK-47 assault rifles and pistols given to Iraqi security forces in 2004 and 2005, according to a new government report, raising fears that some of those weapons have fallen into the hands of insurgents fighting U.S. forces in Iraq.

The author of the report from the Government Accountability Office says U.S. military officials do not know what happened to 30 percent of the weapons the United States distributed to Iraqi forces from 2004 through early this year as part of an effort to train and equip the troops. The highest previous estimate of unaccounted-for weapons was 14,000, in a report issued last year by the inspector general for Iraq reconstruction.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/08/05/AR2007080501299.html

30%!!!!!

[AdHocSolver]

8. That's peanuts. Read this DU post of 10-25-07 about lack of info for $1.2 billion.

(snip)

*******
The U.S. government has paid $1.2 billion to a contractor in Iraq, but doesn't know what for.

A report for the SIGOR (Special Inspector General for Iraq) says the funds were paid to DynCorp International for services in training Iraqi police.

The State Department however is unable to account for most of the $1.2 billion.

"The bottom line is that State can't account for where it went," Glenn D. Furbish, who was involved in putting together the 20-page report released Tuesday, was quoted by CNN as saying.

The State Department, "did not have the information needed to identify what DynCorp provided under the contract or how funds were spent," the report said.
*******

Another post told about how $600 million in cash (not sure about the exact amount) was sent to Iraq to pay local people and that disappeared without a trace.

The Iraq war has provided a new dimension in an old business of war profiteering.

[EndElectoral]

6. Was confirmed on NBC News which interviewed the Captain..guess he'll be in trouble now.

[sfam]

7. CNN pretty much gave Captain away...so much for anonymous...

They told his rank in 2002, where he was stationed, where he went, and that he was commanding a force of only 24 soldiers. This will take the Army all of about 15 minutes to get his name. I really feel sorry for the guy now...

[anamandujano]

10. Obama doesn't know when to keep his trap shut.

[ProSense]

22. You mean like when Hillary accused him of plagiarism during a nationally televised debate?

Rangel: Hillary's Obama Attack Was a Dud

Unlike Hillary's silly accusation, Obama was stating a fact about a critical issue:

Losing an Army

Inadequate equipment, health problems face Iraq, Afghanistan veterans: poll

Losing Afghanistan

[LadyVT]

9. Here's the thing... when he says things like this, the entire world hears it

[anamandujano]

11. BadJudgment.com

He owns it.

[AdHocSolver]

13. The rest of the world already knows. It is only Americans who are just finding out. n/t

[DUyellow]

21. yup

[cottonseed]

14. The people that are shooting at them allready KNOW it.

We need realists not calculists.

[scheming daemons]

19. LadyVT.... defending the Bush administration....

...at least we know where you REALLY stand...

[ProSense]

20. Even the Pentagon knows it's true, so their claims are BS

Losing an Army

Inadequate equipment, health problems face Iraq, Afghanistan veterans: poll

Losing Afghanistan

[AX10]

12. These shortages are known by most people who watch the news.

[AZBlue]

15. Oh my God! I can't believe people on DU are defending Bush & Co in this.

I don't care if you support Barack Obama or not, we've all been talking on DU for the past 6 years how our troops are not supplied with ammunition, vests and other protective gear and even guns. Personal stories have been shared about going on rounds with empty guns or having to trade off guns while on duty. We know that soldiers and their families have had to buy their own kevlar vests online. We know that soldiers have had to use scrap metal found on the roads to fortify their vehicles. The list goes on and on.

And yet...because Barack Obama said it and not your candidate, all of a sudden it becomes a lie? All of a sudden the Bush Cabal and the Pentagon are supporting our soldiers and giving them what they need? You should be ASHAMED!

(note: this is an open response to certain obvious others on this thread, not the OP)

[HuffleClaw]

16. what the hell ELSE is the Pentagon going to say ?

really.

[Johnny__Motown]

17. Both CNN and MSNBC did stories on this today, only small details were off, the story was all true

He said "15 soldiers got sent to Iraq" when 15 soldiers were taken out of the squad in question, some were sent to units heading to Iraq some were not. The number was correct but the detail was wrong.


He said they "scrounged for Taliban weapons" when the did actually need to use a Russian made machine gun to replace the broken .50 cal that they could not get parts to repair. This weapon had been captured previously, scrounged is an inaccurate term.

They also did not have vehicles or ammunition to train with, although they did have everything by the time they went into combat.


Sen. Obama's condensed version of the story was inaccurate in some small details but was correct in all other respects.

[texas_indy]

18. THATS A LOAD OF BULL!!!! The afghan operation was STRIPPED of men and equipment

for the iraq war. And the reserves and national guard are even screwed over more!!

I think it was the discovery channel which showed the deployment of the Arkansas national guard and the screw ups that kept happening such as:
1. they were using Korean and Nam deuces for transportation, no M113s or Bradlys for them
2. they had to weld scrap metal to the doors of the trucks, or drape their body armor over the doors to get any protection from IEDs
3. they had to sandbag the floor of the truck to protect against IDEs
4. and they don't get the armored humvees which the regular force does.

It was once screw up after another.

And they avoided using the draft by rotation the national guard and reserve so much, especially the national guard.
And having stop-loss orders help keep retention up since it keeps grunts from leaving when their service is done.

Equipment and men are being stressed out in the worst type of war, an occupation where the local DON'T want us!!!

Pray for the guys over there because they need all the prayers they can get.


Watch the "Pentagon Wars" to see just how much the upper brass is willing to screw the enlisted men to enhance their own career.
It's a true story of an AF office and the Bradly APC development program.

[Johnny__Motown]

23. Hmmm.... the crickets seem to have taken over on this thread... We Are Ready For More Now

[ErnestoG]

24. Siding with Bush now, are you?

You guys are really losing your ammunition.

[Johnny__Motown]

25. don't say "lost ammunition" (kidding)