Posted on 06/24/2004 3:57:10 PM PDT by Woahhs
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Israeli-made bullets bought by the U.S. Army to plug a shortfall should be used for training only, not to fight Muslim guerrillas in Iraq and Afghanistan, U.S. lawmakers told Army generals on Thursday.
Since the Army has other stockpiled ammunition, "by no means, under any circumstances should a round (from Israel) be utilized," said Rep. Neil Abercrombie of Hawaii, the top Democrat on a House of Representatives Armed Services subcommittee with jurisdiction over land forces.
The Army contracted with Israel Military Industries Ltd. in December for $70 million in small-caliber ammunition.
The Israeli firm was one of only two worldwide that could meet U.S. technical specifications and delivery needs, said Brig. Gen. Paul Izzo, the Army's program executive officer for ammunition. The other was East Alton, Illinois-based Winchester Ammunition, which also received a $70 million contract.
Although the Army should not have to worry about "political correctness," Abercrombie was making a valid point about the propaganda pitfalls of using Israeli rounds in the U.S.-declared war on terror, said Rep. Curt Weldon, the Pennsylvania Republican who chairs the subcommittee on tactical air and land forces.
"There's a sensitivity that I think all of us recognize," Weldon told the Army witnesses, including Maj. Gen. Buford Blount, who led the U.S. Third Infantry Division that captured Baghdad in April 2003.
Blount, now the Army's assistant deputy chief of staff, said the Army had sufficient small caliber ammunition -- 5.56mm, 7.62mm and .50 caliber -- to conduct current operations in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere.
But taken together with training needs, the United States had strained its production facilities, he testified.
"To fight a major combat operation in another theater will require the Army to impose restrictions on training expenditures and to focus current inventory and new production on combat operations," Blount said.
As a result, he said the Army hoped to stretch U.S. supplies to supplement the capacity of the government-owned Lake City plant in Independence, Missouri, that currently makes more than 90 percent of U.S. small caliber ammunition.
The Lake City factory, operated by Alliant Techsystems Inc., has nearly quadrupled its production in the past four years. This year, it will produce more than 1.2 billion rounds, Karen Davies, president of the ATK arm that runs it, told the panel. Lake City provided more than 2 billion rounds a year during World War II and Vietnam, she said.
The Army's needs will grow to about 1.5 billion to 1.7 billion rounds a year in coming years, Blount said.
"In the near-term, balancing training requirements with current operational needs is a manageable risk-mitigation strategy," he said.
The Army does not want to repeat its history of building capacity during wartime "only to dismantle it in peacetime," Blount added.
That's my state's crazy congressman at work. How I wish we could shed him.
The sensitivity should be that we dip all bullets in pig fat before use.
Logic is a lost art it seems.
I'll be using a bit of bacon grease in touching up all
my weapons from now on. Emirel would be proud. BAM!
BTTT
"Since the Army has other stockpiled ammunition, "by no means, under any circumstances should a round (from Israel) be utilized," said Rep. Neil Abercrombie of Hawaii, the top Democrat on a House of Representatives Armed Services subcommittee with jurisdiction over land forces."
Let that stupid TRAITOROUS IDIOT know that he needs to be on the fron lines - on the enemy's side!
Honolulu Office:
Prince Kuhio Federal Building
300 Ala Moana Blvd.
Room 4-104
Honolulu, HI 96850
phone: (808) 541-2570 fax: (808) 533-0133
Washington Office:
1502 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515
phone: (202) 225-2726 fax: (202) 225-4580
(note: mail delivery to Washington office
remains unpredictable, due to backlog caused
by security screening)
E-Mail: Neil.Abercrombie@mail.house.gov
.
What a complete fricken moron. Someone slap it.
Read some history. Specifically, the Sepoy Rebellion. This was a smart move on the part of the guys in charge. We don't need to be pouring gasoline on the fires over there.
Well, that congressman is a Dem. Look what this "Repbulican" congressman says. Talk about double speak!
Although the Army should not have to worry about "political correctness," Abercrombie was making a valid point about the propaganda pitfalls of using Israeli rounds in the U.S.-declared war on terror, said Rep. Curt Weldon, the Pennsylvania Republican who chairs the subcommittee on tactical air and land forces.
What the hell are we worrying about propaganda pitfalls at this point for?
Shhhh, don't even think that!
Fierce fire fight.
"Sir, we're out of ammo, except for these cases of Israeli rounds."
"Fix bayonets!" "
Can't sir, they're made in Israel as well." "
Sound retreat!"
Exactly. There are enough nutjob arab conspiracy theories going around without us fueling more of them. This is good judgment on our part.
To PC for me. When you're dead I don't think it matters where the friggin bullet came from. You're still dead.
No No It might Offend them, we do not want to offend the Muslims with Jewish bullets. If you run out of American made bullets - use the but end of your rifle - we must not offend these people - why - we might just get them angry - they might get violent - they might just start blah blah blah.....
This will present a much better response to our TRAITOR politicians of all parties (dims & reps)
http://knology.net/sirgawain/getting_whacked.mpg
Maybe these bullets were dipped in pig fat to make go fater? We can only hope.
And a pic of porky pig stamped into the bolt face!
At some point common sense has to kick in. We're never going to be 'friends' with a religion hellbent on taking over the world in order to send it straight back to the Dark Ages. The only question is how many innocent Americans have to die before we take the gloves off.
It scares me the shortsightedness of some of my fellow Freepers. This is what comes of not reading history.
Bullets is bullets. If one hits a bad guy, he's just as dead. Period.
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