The Russian T-72 Ural tank is the most widely-deployed main battle tank of the current generation. Used by the armies of the former Warsaw pact and Soviet Union, it has also been exported in large numbers to many of the states in the Middle East including Syria, Libya, Iraq and Iran, and has been seen in combat in the Lebanon, the Iran-Iraq war, the Gulf War and the Yugoslav civil war. Curiously the T-72 was produced parallel with the T-64A tank, and later the T-80, a subject of considerable debate and mystery till now. The T-72 Ural tank was envisaged to be designed and produced as a cheaper, though less effective, partial-alternative to other main battle tanks in the Soviet armoury. Its vulnerability is demonstrated by an analysis of its performance in both the 1982 Syrian-Israeli War and the 1991 Gulf War, the latter in particular showing that the T-72 is no match for the latest Western main battle tanks. It's EDZ reactive armour which, when it first appeared in December 1984, gave NATO a nasty shock. |
Who They Are: Operation: Stitches Of Love was started by the Mothers of two United States Marines stationed in Iraq.
What They Are Doing: We are gathering 12.5"x12.5" quilt squares from across the country and assembling the largest quilt ever produced. When completed we will take the quilt from state to state and gather even more squares.
Why They Are Doing This: We are building this quilt to rally support for the Coalition Forces in Iraq and to show the service members that they are not forgotten. We want the world to know Nothing will ever break the stitches that bind us together as a country.
Ideas to start a local project:
Obtain enough Red, White and Blue material (cloth) for a 12.5 x 12.5 quilt square.
If you have someone in your family that sews, make it a weekend project and invite neighbors to join you.
Consider this tribute as a project for your civic group, scouts, church or townhall group.
Locate an elementary school with an after school program in your neighborhood or locate an after school program in your neighborhood not attached to a school and ask if you could volunteer one or two afternoons and create some squares with the kids.
Invite some VFW posts to share your project in honor of their post.
Send us webmaster@patriotwatch.com for digital photos of in progress and finished project for various websites, OIFII.com and the media.
PDN is making this appeal in support of Operation: Stitches Of Love
Media Contact: Deborah Johns (916) 716-2749
Volunteers & Alternate Media: PDN (916) 448-1636
Your friends at PDN
From Russian Tanks
From US Army Field Manual 100-2-3 - The Soviet Army; Troops Organisation and Equipment
From T-72 Soviet Tank
125mm tank ammunition - designed for firing from tank T72 and from other tanks equipped with 125mm guns of the type D-81.
[This link played three times smoothly and three times choppily on cable.]
Captured outside the booksigning, 42 is nailed: