Where did all the money for the MRAPs go?

[babylonsister]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070717/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/armored_vehicles_iraq;_ylt=AqQukG8Wd1xTwQvM2pQsa5Ss0NUE

Pentagon asks money for armored vehicles

By LOLITA C. BALDOR, Associated Press Writer 1 hour, 15 minutes ago

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Robert Gates plans to ask Congress Tuesday for permission to shift as much as $1.3 billion from other military programs to speed up the purchase of bomb-resistant vehicles for troops in Iraq.

According to military officials, the Army would like to reallocate about $800 million, and the Marines want roughly $500 million, to buy the Mine Resistant, Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles that have been saving lives in roadside bomb attacks.

Gates is expected to go to Capitol Hill with senior Army and Marine leaders to formally request that the money be reprogrammed, the officials said on condition of anonymity because the meeting has not yet taken place.

Military officials said the shift in funds would not affect any day-to-day war spending or the troops in battle.

The Pentagon has come under fire in recent months, particularly from Congress, for perceived delays in getting the armored vehicles to the troops.

Gates has said that getting more of the armored vehicles to the troops is a top priority. And he has demanded an accelerated effort to get them to Iraq in large numbers to replace the more vulnerable Humvee utility vehicle used by soldiers and Marines.

more...

[valerief]

1. they still haven't told us what happened to that 2 trillion they lost 9-10-01. nt

[DeSwiss]

2. When you brought this to my attention yesterday....

....I hadn't been aware how old the design concept for these vehicles were:

MRAP vehicles are usually built with a "V" shaped hull that assists deflection of a mine or IED blast away from the vehicle’s interior keeping the passengers safe and the vehicle intact. This design dates to the 1970s when it was first implemented by Land Systems OMC, whose vehicles have since been used by various military forces around the world. .... The concept is to replace Humvee type vehicles with a more robust, survivable vehicle when on patrol "outside the wire'.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MRAP_%28armored_vehicle%29#Design

So for me now, its not just about where the money is, why weren't we prepared for this going into an urban warfare scenario that military planners have known since the 70s we'd need to fight this kind of war!?!?! The asshats in the Pentagon have sat on their collective asses while soldiers have died. Someone's head needs to roll for this. It just makes me so sick...

:mad:

[babylonsister]

3. I agree; severe incompetence is -still-going on. nt