The Abrams is high maintenance. When Obama said we’d pull out GD’s maintenance jobs came open in droves. If the tanks are not being maintained chances are many subsystems won’t work. So, they may only be 70 ton mobile radios at this point. Also, they need support. If the support troops aren’t advancing due to IED’s it would be foolish to send them in by themselves.
High quality and smart weapon systems take high quality and trained personal to use them for good effect.