It was a political decision from the “math professor” warriors in OSD. It had to do with image they wanted to project, not safety.
A M113 A3, of which 700+ are already in Kuwait; would have been much better than an unarmed Humvee, and no it’s not slow; an A3 can keep up with an M1, pop the top you have 360 security. With the Cav kit, and the additional armor, especially the Stryker RPG “slat stand off armor”, you have a much more survivable platform than a factory up armored Humvee. A Stryker may be quieter, but they have a huge turning radius, 113’s can neutral steer, a great advantage in urban terrain.
Qatar-6, your thoughts?
I think you meant to say 'pivot steer' or 'pivot turn'.