Meehan crashes news conference on Humvee funding

Lowell Sun ^ | Thursday, April 29, 2004 | IAN BISHOP

[Cannoneer No. 4]

WASHINGTON A show-and-tell press event using an armored Humvee as the prop devolved into what amounted to a partisan street fight on Capitol Hill yesterday morning.

With smiles on their faces and backslaps still fresh, Rep. Marty Meehan, a Massachusetts Democrat, and Rep. J.D. Hayworth, a Republican from Arizona, excoriated each other over whose party is doing more to protect troops fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan.

"Clearly, funding for armoring Humvees has not been adequate," said Meehan, who infiltrated Hayworth's staged event without invitation and circulated a press release saying it was "outrageous" that the vehicle was in Washington rather than Iraq.

Meehan's presence and comments prompted Hayworth to steal back the spotlight in front of the assembled media.

"I think we all want to support our troops in the field," he said. "Just for the purposes of full disclosure, I think Marty wouldn't mind if I pointed out that when it came to $87 billion to protect our soldiers, Marty voted no," Hayworth said. "And the man he supports for president, Sen. John Kerry, in the final analysis voted no. It's something to keep in mind."

"I'm glad you brought that up," Meehan retorted. "Because when I see this administration trying to make it seem like the $87 billion was their way or no other way that package was loaded with no-bid contracts to Halliburton. It didn't provide the funding needed to up-armor Humvees."

The political spat underscored the dangerous conditions facing U.S. troops. Only 60 percent of the 12,800 Humvees the Defense Department estimates is required to support the ongoing endeavor in Iraq are equipped with reinforced windows and doors.

An Associated Press story earlier this week said the Army is making a "full-court press" to locate and deliver every armored Humvee in its inventory to Iraq.

Seven of the 23 Massachusetts troops killed in Iraq as of this month died while riding in unarmored vehicles, including Army Pfc. John Hart of Bedford and Marine Cpl. David Vicente of Methuen.

Hart died of injuries he suffered when his unarmored Humvee was ambushed near Kirkuk, Iraq, in October.

The vitriol between Meehan and Hayworth didn't quell when the cameras stopped rolling.

"If (the concern) is so great, vote with us to arm the troops in the field," Hayworth said. "Or is he like Sen. Kerry, did he vote for (the $87 billion supplemental budget to fund the fight in Iraq) until he voted against it?

"We're always pleased to see our friends, and we welcome free and open discussion, but let's tell the entire story," Hayworth added. "Not some of the woulda, coulda, shoulda. But what do we do to help people in the field right now? And the inescapable fact, no matter how you want to bash anybody else, is, sadly, Marty and Sen. Kerry voted against the very appropriation that would provide this kind of armor."

Meehan responded by pointing out that the bill passed by 78 votes in the House last fall yet 40 percent of Humvees in Iraq still lack armor.

"The president threatened to veto (the $87 billion) if it contained loans for the reconstruction rather than grants," Meehan said. "Does that mean if he vetoed it, he would've been against the troops?

"It's such a joke," Meehan added. "They think they can put a bunch of corrupt crap in (a bill) and everyone will vote for it like sheep."

From the outset yesterday, Hayworth sensed a fight was at hand when Meehan arrived uninvited at the event with a podium in tow.

"Are you guys here to mix it up politically?" Hayworth asked.

"We're on the same page," Meehan assured him.

Meehan said his actions yesterday were motivated by a commitment he made to the Hart and Vicente families.

"I made a promise to those families that I would not stop fighting to make sure our troops get the equipment they need," Meehan said.

Meehan has filed a nonbinding resolution urging the Pentagon to release all funds approved by Congress to armor Humvees as quickly as possible.

[Eagle Eye]

And we can't travel because they won't let us go with them in our unarmored SUV's.

But when it comes to serious IED's, it won't matter what you're driving or wearing anyway. I've seen what happens.

[Semper Paratus]

Marty Meehan was the Congressman who made the most noise about President Bush chickening out of flying directly to DC right after the 9-11 crashes.

Howie Carr tagged him as "Osama Bin Meehan".

[Radix]

Meehan is a lying hypocritical dork who will say absolutely anything in order to stay before the cameras. He covets John Kerry's U.S. Senate seat and he will continue to seek attention with this objective in mind.

Kerry will not be surrendering his Senate seat anytime soon, but Meehan will still consider that he has a chance and will behave accordingly. The lying weasel will insinuate anything at all if it keeps him in the media spotlight.

He is only interested in himself, and he has been a political operative for a very long time. Incidentally, Meehan was almost redistricted out of his own seat after the 2000 census. The Massachusetts legislature leadership took him to task for certain hints that he made about running for the governorship. Meehan quickly fell into line, and the Congressional redistricting (which made perfect geographical and political sense) plan was shelved.

Marty Meehan is going to say a lot of controversial things during this campaign season as he feels now that his seat is "safe." In case anyone forgets, he was one of the first to criticize President Bush on 9-11 for not flying to Washington immediately. This same Meehan who calmly sat in his Capitol office during the bomb scare when every one else fled the building,(as if.)

In my view, Meehan is among the most contemptable of all professional politicians. Of course, I would say that about most of the professional politicians from Massachusetts, and especially the large portion of the Congressional delegation from this Commonwealth.

[maryz]

The name of the person that is the Director of Kerry's campaign is Meehan. I believe that it is Marty's son.

I had wondered about that. The kid had to get his training somewhere!

[Dead Dog]

Hey, how's the cease fire going?

[eyespysomething]

In WWII, didn't America not have the war materials needed? Didin't a bunch of companies switch over to war materials and start producing the heck outta stuff for the military?

Too bad all this contractinbg crap is in play, and that the goobermint spends all our money on other crap, otherwise, they could drop the dime on some items our military needs right now.

[AppyPappy]

Any wargamer, much less a combat soldier, can tell you that armor will not survive in an urban environment without boots on the ground. Shoot, I learned that in an ROTC class, for pete's sake.

[DeaconRed]

WE NEED A UNITED STATES! ! ! NOW

V537

[Cannoneer No. 4]

We have Freepers who apparently work for Meehan.

[Eagle Eye]

At least we're not getting shelled as much. Only two rockets last night. Before there were days we'd lose count before lunch. Of course part of that is because if it's 700meters away but inside the camp it counts. If it's 250 meters away and just outside the wall, it doesn't count. So it's sometimes hard to tell which ones count and which ones don't.

I've watched them hit left and right within 2-300 meters. I can also tell the difference between a rocket overhead and a mortar coming down. That one you learn quickly! But sometimes it's hard to tell if it's incoming, outgoing, or a 500lb or 1000 pounder dropped in town. And then there's always the short rounds and the danger close...and of course sometime Spooky shoots.

So you see, there may be a lot of noise but it's hard to get exicted about any of it anymore.

[Cannoneer No. 4]

In WWII, didn't America not have the war materials needed?

America was woefully lacking in weaponry with which to stock the Arsenal of Democracy from the beginning of WWII in September, 1939 until the fall of 1943. Production picked up in 1944 and by 1945 we had the most lavishly equipped Army the world had ever seen up to that time.

Didin't a bunch of companies switch over to war materials and start producing the heck outta stuff for the military?

Yes, they did. They were forced to do so by the War Production Board. All heavy industry was essentially expropriated by the government for war production. The business owners retained ownership and were paid for their products, but they weren't allowed to manufacture consumer goods for the civilian market. The US economy was mobilized for Total War.

Congressman Meehan and his associates passed the laws requiring all the contracting crap which make it very difficult for a business to quickly produce a solution to a military need and have it bought by the government and issued to the troops in a timely manner.

[Meldrim]

Just like his dad "Buster", Marty was a little too good to serve his country.

The fact that he is on the Armed Services Committe at all astounds me.

[archy]

The Israelis have turned many T-55 and Centurion tanks into heavy infantry carrier vehicles. They seem to know what they are doing when it comes to running armor in built up areas. I would give serious consideration to what they have to say.

Archy, do you have those pics handy?

Sure do. Israeli ex-T-55 Achzarit:

Russian 9M113 BTR-T heavy armored personnel carrier;Bronyetransporter-Tyazhelyy:

[Darksheare]

Oh man, Meehan should be fed to the soldiers in the field to deal with.
Tell the guys in boots out in the sand what that creep said and his doings, and then send him out there in an unescorted meet & greet.

[oyez]

Seem to me that we are using Humvees where we should be using Bradley's. Is there some disconnect about that?

[R. Scott]

Everything I'm reading says the uparmored Hummers don't cut it either.

Note: The Humvee was a replacement for the Jeep, not the Abrams.

[R. Scott]

Very true.
The public (press) won’t be satisfies until going to war is safer than a drive to my local Food Lion. Of course, when we reach that state it will no longer be a “war”, but a massacre of anyone who disagrees with us. It will no longer be a case of “Young people going to fight and die for their country” but “young people going to fight and kill for their politicians”.

[Cannoneer No. 4]

There are elements within the Democratic Party that seek to plant in the minds of the mothers of America the notion that all soldiers are entitled to be bulletproof, that it is cruel and unusual punishment to be required to perform one's duty in an unarmored vehicle, and that US casualties in Iraq are not caused by the enemy but by incompetence, negligence and corruption on the part of the Commander-in-Chief and Secretary of Defense. This is part of the info war. Undermine the will, make casualties unacceptable, make force protection the primary mission, neuter the force.

[Cannoneer No. 4]

Thanks. pard. You do good work.

[petertare]

In war one cannot always optimize the equipment to the mission. Like any military plan, the best of plans generally deconstructs on first contact with the enemy, if not before. No doubt more Bradleys would be preferred if available. But do not discount that even Bradleys are little more than RPG bait, as are 113s. The only reliable safe ride to Iraqi ieds and rpgs is a main battle tank. Even that level of protection is not 100%, and it would be very difficult to accomplish most missions if every GI was issued a MBT. Configuring oneself in that manner would make the force very vulnerable to its own destruction via other weapon systems. Optimum is sometimes the enemy of good enough.