[First_Salute]

There is a shortage of helicopters. Those which should be used for the security of ground units, are instead held together for a glamorous assault againt the Republican Guards.

We need many more helicopter gunships sent to Kuwait; there are plenty here in the States, which could be shipped.

To provide for that airlift, we need to free up the C-5A, B, C's and C-17's, by "requisitioning" more commercial jetliners.

The delay is Sec'y Rumsfeld's; he has been trying to "just-in-time" force transport so that the last marginal item not needed after the battles end, is not found on the battlefield. It's an absurd return to McNamara's "efficiency" obsession which cost us many lives.

[Cold Heat]

There is a shortage of helicopters.

I do not know how you came to that conclusion.

The way they operate is to call in air support when they need it and they get it!

This is not like Vietnam. it is a different military with different strategy and equipment.

The helicopter idea that you refer to worked so damn good in Vietnam that a door gunners average time in country was only a few days before he ended up in a body bag!

If you have information of a lack of helicopters, post it.

[TopQuark]

There is a shortage of helicopters. I guess you are right. It appears we also have an oversupply of marines.