I've noticed on the half-dozen or so threads on the subject over weeks that the less people seem to know about armor, the more likely they are to spin some sort of theory about space-aliens in league with the Russians and Chinese developing some sort of thermonuclear plasma tachyon rail-gun to explain the damage.
The Abrams is not invulnerable and was not expected to be invulnerable. Every time one of your weapons is defeated it needs to be analyzed and investigated so modifications and improvements can be made, but an Abrams being penetrated from the side in an urban environment is neither the surprise of the century nor does it merit panic.
The panic factor is what I am amazed at. Just like the loss of helicopters. There are many in Iraq who are still shooting at us and helicopters are not only large targets they are politically charged by the press here at home. How many were lost in Vietnam? Over 1000, and 200+ of them were Chinooks. As we used to say "war is hell, and combat is a real $*th#R &u$k#r."
The conspirators who get out the tin foil hats and suits and then start developing all types of super duper plasma powered atomic rail guns that will propel a penetrator the size of a marble through yards of armor at ranges in excess of tens of thousands of meters never cease to amaze me. I wish I had some of their expertise here with us right now working on the next generation of Army combat systems, we could sure use it.