Posted on 12/09/2004 8:33:57 AM PST by gopwinsin04
Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said Thursday that he thought 'it was good' that oridnary soliders are given a chance to express their concerns to the Secretary of Defense and senior military commanders during a visit to the Indian capital.
'It is necessary for the Army to hear that, to do something about that and see everyone is treated properly,' Rumsfeld said referring to the complaint.
Spc. Thomas Wilson from the Tennessee National Guard asked Secretary Rumsfeld, 'Why do soliders have to dig though local landfills for compromised ballistic glass to up-armour our vehicles?'
Shouts of approval rose from the audience from other soliders who had assembled in an aircraft hangar to see Rumsfeld.
Asked on Thursday about the exchange, the defense secretary said he believe the session in general was 'very fine, warm and enjoyable.' As for Wilson's statement, Rumsfeld said that it could be contsructive.
Rumsfeld gave no indication that the soldier would face any diciplinary actions for speaking up. Instead, the defense secretary said he found it healthy for soldiers to feel free to express their views.
He also said that military vehicles that go into Iraq without full armour are only used inside US compounds, rather than used on street patrols where they could be vulnerable to roadside bombs. And he said that those vehicles without full armour are moved into Iraq on transport vehiclles rather than being driven.
More broadly, Rumsfeld said people should understand that the military had done all that can be reasonably expected to adjust to the changing circumstances in Iraq.
(Excerpt) Read more at abcnews.go.com ...
The only thing not particularly healthy was his response. The U.S. military prides itself on having the best military in the world, and yet in his response he offered: "Well, you go with what you have."
the entire episode was contrived publicity stunt that fell 100% into the radical-left propoganda.
Whoever came up with that asinine idea and the one who encouraged and allowed it should all be marched out the door and back to the dnc where they came from.
IF that were a REAL question, I am sure there were SOME moral and decent soldiers there that would have immediately shut the boors mouth and he would have been arrested and tried under the articles of the UCMJ for gross insubordination - and deservedly so.
What's not healthy about that? It's what the US military has done throughout its entire existence, including--heck, especially--World War II.
Holy Batman...for a moment I thought we were talking about the Canadian armed forces...;-))
So true the libs were probably on pins and needles hoping for just that!
Did the media try stunts like this during WWII? They would have been shunned and put of of circulation..
Nothing new, thousands of American tank crewman died in WWII because the Army would listen to General Patton, who wanted greatly beefed up tanks.
make that wouldn't
I really had little problem with what Rums said, but I thought the tone was a bit wrong, to say it to a man about to enter the lions den. Then again, Rummy is not much of a diplomat, look how he skewers the media. A shame it came out the way it did.
You mean GASP, a Dumocrat didn't listen to a General.
As some one already said, Patton asked for armour for his tanks repeatedly in WWII-but it would be unthinkable to air the grievance publicly.
That is exactly right. I've noticed in newsclips Humvees having been retrofited with new armored panels, doors, etc. My son is redeploying w/3ID slated for January (Infantry BTW, they can't strap armored Humvee doors on themselves). However, they are constantly getting upgraded equipment, he doesn't know how much faster it can be done.
His buddies wonder how this soldier has all the logistical answers, he ought to be running the outfit.
More d****d whining by a whiner that needs some disciplining. Of course Rumsfeld is going to say it's "healthy"; meanwhile the soldier needs to be signing his Art. 15 papers. Our concern is now all the moms and dads out there fretting "Oh no, they're not being protected!!". More investigations, interruptions, screwing up the flow because of another know-it-all malcontent.
Do your duty soldier, like so many before you in this fight, and BTW what is his unit's order of priority? His job? Mission in Iraq?
RB
Actually, that Soldier is a pretty decent guy. He's not known for keeping his mouth shut when his troops are in danger. The 278th just deployed over there - I've got several friends that are with the unit. I happen to like what Tom did - the troops have been asking that question for a long time.
Same deal with body amour and helmets. The thing that the media seems to be missing is that the supplies are coming as fast as humanly possible to get them, and they are not interested in all in reporting that
The most important thing to remember here is that it's going to take some time to fix the mess that the Clintoons got us into during their 8 years. Most of that stuff was approriated during that time and in order to maintain the numbers of vehicles needed by the services, the cost had to be deflated somehow. Which probably translated into less armour. Whoda thought that IED's were going to be a major threat to our forces back in the mid 90's.
"Well, you go with what you have."
If you're going to wait until everything is perfect, you're never going to go anywhere, or do anything.
And yes we DO have the best military in the world. There are very few other armed forces that can fight along side of us, because of the equiptment and training we have. and the gap is only getting larger.
Well dontcha know this was all over the morning talk shows(Katie, Matt etc). It was their big story.
Amazing how interested they are in the troops opinions now.
They want to know what the troops have to say as opposed to the politicians.
Did they give the Swift Boat Vets the same credibility and respect?
Blame the democrats for not permitting us to go to a wartime economy.
In WWII every resource was turned toward victory.
In the WOT, every democratic resource has been marshalled to convince the people that there's no danger and that the US is the real warmonger. (despite our 3000 murdered citizens.)
We'd have rolled through Syria and Iran by now if this were a wartime footing.
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