"We Are Breaking A Small, Great Professional Force"

[Nbadan]

Thursday, December 9, 2004; Page A01

Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld, speaking in Kuwait yesterday to troops deploying into Iraq, got an earful of complaints about poor combat equipment, personnel policies that keep soldiers in the Army beyond their terms of enlistment, and other issues that reflect the strains the war in the Middle East is placing on the U.S. military.

(snip)

When a third soldier, from the Idaho Army National Guard, complained that Guard units were being issued "antiquated" equipment inferior to that given to regular Army units, Rumsfeld said that the Army is trying to be equitable but that somebody has to get the older gear.

(snip)

"When I visit Iraq, I ride around in an armored vehicle, and I am sure the secretary does as well," Rep. Gene Taylor (D-Miss.) said in a statement. "If it is good enough for the big shots, it is good enough for every American soldier."

Some military experts agreed with the criticism. "Any problem mentioned, he's in denial," said retired Army Gen. Barry McCaffrey.

"Troop frustration is growing," especially as some soldiers head back to Iraq for their second occupation tour as the security situation there deteriorates, said another retired four-star general, who spoke on the condition of anonymity. Officers and senior sergeants are worried, he noted, because, in his view, "we are breaking a small, great professional force."

more…

Washington Post

A lot of troops who aren’t necessarily opposed to the war, are still opposed to Rummy. He is seen as a failure from start to quagmire. I think a majority of them would call for his resignation for failure to do his duty.

[Nbadan]

Meanwhile...

December 8, 2004
Rumsfeld Query No Shock to Soldier's Wife
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Filed at 3:39 p.m. ET

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (AP) -- Regina Wilson wasn't entirely surprised to see her husband, a guardsman bound for Iraq, on television Wednesday challenging Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld with a tough question.

``He is always like that,'' she said. ``I don't think he understands the concept of biting one's tongue. It wouldn't matter if it was Bush himself standing there. He would have dissed him the same.''


..more at AP..

NY Times

[exstatic]

"All is well! Remain Calm!"

[Hook Dem]

"All is well! Remain Calm!"

The usual sarcasm.

[1369]

A lot of troops who aren’t necessarily opposed to the war, are still opposed to Rummy. He is seen as a failure from start to quagmire. I think a majority of them would call for his resignation for failure to do his duty.

And just what did he fail in?

Canceling the Crusader program which was unneeded, wouldn't fit on any conventional aircraft for deployment and siphoned needed monies away from where they need to be applied?

Forcing the Army to reevaluate its plans on how it will fight and making it recognize that we are not going to be fighting large-scale land wars, but small intense conflicts where speed and mobility are needed?

You attempt to gripe about the lack of proper equipment, namely lack of armor for HMMWV's. Just how is that Sec. Rumsfeld's fault?

[Nbadan]

You attempt to gripe about the lack of proper equipment, namely lack of armor for HMMWV's. Just how is that Sec. Rumsfeld's fault?

Rummy's policy of a light but mobile force in Iraq has lead to the death of many of our troops and has been a abismal failure. Had he sent in the heavy armour in the initial invasion, as many General's advised him to do, we wouldn't have so many troops killed by these improvised road-side bombs and home-made rocket launchers.

Not only that, but by not sending in more troops in the invasion, as we saw in Al-Qaqa, many of Saddam's munition dumps were compromised because we didn't have enough people to secure all these locations. That's just plain incompetence.

Let's not even talk about Falluja which I think history will not be to kind to America over, but then again, history is always written by the winners, right?

[Nbadan]

Another Rummy excuse blown out of the water...turns out the company that produces the Armour for humvees can increase output but is waiting for the Army to order more...

Bloomberg News was reporting today that Armor Holdings Inc., the sole supplier of protective plates for the Humvee military vehicles used in Iraq, said it could increase output by as much as 22 percent per month with no investment and is awaiting an order from the Army.

Armor Holdings, based in Jacksonville, Fla., last month told the Army it could add armor to as many as 550 of the trucks a month, up from 450 vehicles now, Robert Mecredy, president of the company's aerospace and defense group, said in an interview Thursday with Bloomberg.

NY Newsday

[1369]

Rummy's policy of a light but mobile force in Iraq has lead to the death of many of our troops and has been a abismal failure.

How so?

A quick strike reactionary force is the only way to deal with the kind of urban warfare the men and women on the ground are seeing without leveling the entire city.

How are you drawing your conclusions on what is and what isn't working in Iraq?

[Aggie Hoopsfan]

Rummy's policy of a light but mobile force in Iraq has lead to the death of many of our troops and has been a abismal failure. Had he sent in the heavy armour in the initial invasion, as many General's advised him to do, we wouldn't have so many troops killed by these improvised road-side bombs and home-made rocket launchers.

Well I guess he's too stupid to learn from history. Clinton didn't think we needed heavy armor in Somalia either.

[exstatic]

Ah, somehow it ALWAYS comes back to Clinton. It's how I know that a NeoCon has no further viable argument.

Weak ass , Ag.

[Aggie Hoopsfan]

It was just an observation ex. I think it's bull that we don't have all our vehicles over there heavily armored, and that we're not trying to develop some RPG proof armament here in the States to counter that problem.