Welcome, Newbie.
Posted on 12/08/2004 7:35:31 PM PST by Enlightiator
Let there be no mistake - I am a strong supporter of GW Bush and Donald Rumsfeld. I am an even bigger supporter of our soldiers in Iraq. After reading stories of our troops and even their commanders pleading for adequately armored vehicles, I did an Internet search for modern armored vehicles designed for heavy armor. Upgrading Humvees with armor isn't a good solution since they aren't designed for the weight and the upgrades are moving too slowly, so I specifically searched for available vehicles worldwide designed for heavy armor. After only a few links, I found this interesting site:
Labock's approach to this problem is unique. Instead of adapting armoring for an existing vehicle, Labock uses the most appropriate chassis and motors, and custom builds vehicles from chassis up, with protection against AP (armor piercing) bullets and provides significant bomb blast protection, however current IED threats are too varied for certification. The Rhino Runner™ is fully protected (sides, front, back, roof, floor, and even glass) against up to Type IV (NIJ standard) including NATO calibers.
And at the bottom of the page, this eye opening revelation:
Units of this heavily armored bus are currently deployed by the U.S. Army in Iraq. It was the vehicle of choice employed by the military to provide safe ground transportation for the U.S. Secretary of Defense, Mr. Donald Rumsfeld, and General Dick Myers and his staff while they were visiting Baghdad in may 2004. It is also the vehicle of choice to drive Saddam Hussein and other V.I.P. prisoners between their confinements and the Iraqi Tribunal.
I am not surprised that Rumsfeld and Myers traveled in armored vehicles, that's what they should have been traveling in. I am surprised to find out that they were traveling in such a state of the art modern heavily armored vehicle instead of a standard military vehicle. Glad they found it. But our troops deserve modern equipment as well - modern, heavily armored tracked vehicles for patrols and light troop transport, not Humvees overweight and subject to rollover with after-market or makeshift armor bolted and welded on. Internationally, such vehicles are available.
I admire Don Rumsfeld, and its an indication of the man that he allowed the troops to ask any questions they wanted of him. As far as adquately amored vehicles go though, we haven't done enough, and the only excuses we really have are our government and military bureaucracy are in the way of getting them. The same thing happened in WWII and the Vietnam war. That’s not good enough. It’s a new kind of war, we need new kinds of equipment to fight it, and we need to get it from whomever can supply it now.
Please credit www.freerepublic.com when reposting this story.
Give it a rest please. He's felt the heat now and they're trying the best they can. We all want the very best equipment for our troops, but be pragmatic about it.
Your sentiments are mine. But our forces are not going to get the gear they need until Congress authorizes it. The election season is what has endangered our soldiers. The President or Rummy cannot authorize the expenditure. What we need is a Congress UNITED and willing to VOTE to support our troops. The Dems are too worried about putting each Presidential vote through the microscope to care.
Without the constant carping by the Dems, don't you think we would have had the necessary stuff by now?
Uh-huh...who're you trying to kid?
I thought the question was a good one.
but in retrospect, with 20/20 hindsight, the Humvee should never have been purchased for the military. Is that Rumsfeld's fault? Did he procure it? It wasn't designed to be an armored vehicle.
We probably haven't done enough to protect our soldiers. Rumsfield acknowledged as much. I'm sure that personally he's as eager to solve this problem as you and other soldiers on the ground are.
But this sort of vehicle doesn't look like the answer - it's a civilian transport, not a military vehicle. It's great for its job of protecting Rumsfield and friends, but it doesn't look like something you can fight from.
They do have other vehicles that might be of more practical interest, though - looks like they have a hummer clone. Anyone know how good it is?
Also, there appears to be no indication of cost on the web site. I'd be curious to know how much these are.
D
Welcome to FR.
Welcome, Newbie.
This is a Republican controlled House and Senate. The buck stops with the president and the GOP. The hard truth is the Rumsfeld's whole philosophy has been to fight this war on the cheap.
miramaines
Since Dec 9, 2004
Meow
Now I'm really mad! Old Rummy makes sure he's well-armored while traveling around the Middle East--and well-guarded.
Meantime, our soldiers and marines are salvaging stuff from junkyards to try to armor up.
This is a national disgrace!
1,000 dead US servicemen as of today. Men and women sent into battle ill-equipped and ill-armored.
And Rummy wants four more years of it. Damn his eyes!
We need a new Secretary of Defense.
You might be right, but the story presents the facts, the public and the politicians need to know them. Rumsfeld got it, now the troops need it. I respectfully prpose that we rest when adequate armored vehicles are provided to our troops :)
Since 2004-12-09. Quite a few interesting posts you've made in your 48 hours on FR.
Well that is good news. I wonder if it has a DVD entertainment system.
I believe the Hummvee came online when Cheney was SecDEf, but the plan to replace the jeep can about just before Weinburger was SecDef.
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