The "Ultimate Betrayal"?

National Review Online ^ | December 21, 2005 | W. Thomas Smith, Jr.

[Moonraker]

Why is it taking so long to design, develop, produce, and deploy — in adequate numbers — a troop-transporting armored vehicle that would replace the up-armored Humvee in Iraq? I've been asked that question time and again, not by soldiers and Marines who ride in Humvees daily, but by fellow journalists, many of whom have logged time in Iraq or Afghanistan.

One reporter said to me it was "criminal negligence" on the part of the White House and the Defense Department. Another referred to it as "the ultimate betrayal" of our soldiers. Despite their time in country, both reporters are wrong: Their opinions are based more on political animus than any real grasp of the facts.

[Ninian Dryhope]

Yes, why can't the President design a vehicle that is light, fast, cheap, roomy, maneuverable, bullet proof, rocket propelled grenade proof, and able to withstand the combined blast of 4 115 MM artillery shells and then have thousands of these vehicles manufactured and sent over to Iraq in the next month or so?

Why does the President refuse to use his magic wand to make make this happen, just as he refused to use his magic wand to fix New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina?

[neodad]

Well, I would want a DVD player and spinners, too.

[Paloma_55]

... both reporters are wrong: Their opinions are based more on political animus than any real grasp of the facts.

Most obvious statement of the day!

[YOUGOTIT]

Lock up the so-called Reporters.

[Redbob]

"Yes, why can't the President design a vehicle that is light, fast, cheap, roomy, maneuverable, bullet proof, rocket propelled grenade proof, and able to withstand the combined blast of 4 115 MM artillery shells and then have thousands of these vehicles manufactured and sent over to Iraq in the next month or so?

Why does the President refuse to use his magic wand to make make this happen, just as he refused to use his magic wand to fix New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina?

Just as I had mustered the perfect response to this P.O.S. article - I find that you have already posted it!

[Vision]

One reporter said to me it was "criminal negligence" on the part of the White House and the Defense Department. Another referred to it as "the ultimate betrayal" of our soldiers

Shocking

[nevergore]

He only has Magic Wand 1.3.2 ver5......armored carriers and hurricane relief is scheduled in release 6.....

Geez, do I have to explain everything around here?

[right right]

What are Bush and Rummy doing all night? The lazy bums should be out in the garagedesigning and building the darn thing. Those reporters didn't get it wrong. They printed just what they intended.

[gatorbait]

Would one of these reporters be Joe Galloway? It seems he is riding his laurels for the Ia Drang Valley campaign a tad too much. He has been an unabashed critic harping his anti-Bush, anti-Rumsfeld screeds whilst hiding behind his glory moment of 40 years ago.

[WhiteGuy]

Why is it taking so long to design, develop, produce, and deploy — in adequate numbers — a troop-transporting armored vehicle that would replace the up-armored Humvee in Iraq?

1. Waste
2. Corruption

[CondorFlight]

Well, in February 1942 someone came up with the prototype for the bazooka. The first few thousand copies had been manufactured by May 1942. It was so new that troops going to invade N. Africa in November 1942 had never used it, and had to practice with it on shipboard.

In the 1970s or 1980s, it was proposed that we have a replacement for the M-113 armored personnel carrier.
It took committees SEVEN YEARS to decide on what to get--the Bradley.

That's the difference between wartime necessity and
peacetime congressional/contractor gaming.

Sorry, but while I am a dyed-in-the-wool supporter of Bush
and the war in Iraq, on this matter I'm with the critics.

[Wristpin]

To have this equipment now, the money needed to be budgeted and program started around 1995.

Somehow it wasn't a priority back then.

[massgopguy]

Um, it's a JEEP. So, stop using them as APC's.

[2banana]

Just issue everyone a M1A2 Tank and be done with it...

[SR 50]

Just shoot them. They do shoot reporters in Iraq don't they? I heard in the news that they do.

[WhiteGuy]

To have this equipment now, the money needed to be budgeted and program started around 1995.

Somehow it wasn't a priority back then.


1.Waste
2.Corruption

[elli1]

These things take time.

Which begs the question: Why didn't bubba build it?

OTOH, it's probably a good thing he didn't. If he had, he would have sold it to China.

[Alice au Wonderland]

Um...yes. :)

[Tahoe3002]

You are right on your two points, but omitted the third reason: the Federal Acquisition Regulations, aka FAR, or government procurement system.

The bureaucratic jungle slows design, procurement, and delivery to a dead snails pace. The FAR, like the IRS and 60-70% of the federal government, should be trashed and started all over from new blueprints.