Posted on 02/07/2003 6:15:30 AM PST by TroutStalker
Edited on 04/22/2004 11:48:06 PM PDT by Jim Robinson. [history]
If President Bush orders an invasion of Iraq, U.S. soldiers could face a fight in the streets of Baghdad -- unlike in Desert Storm, when the battle was won by tanks and aircraft in the open desert. Such an urban war requires different skills and equipment, and far more reliance on infantry troops.
(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...
I heard Keegan say a few years ago that the Ancient Greeks went into battle carrying about 70 lbs. and it's been the same ever since, regardless of the technology.
The "visitors" have to carry it all on their backs! Until the next resupply, which may be one firefight after you are out of ammo and dead!
Stay Safe !!
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You see, Mr. Prrresident, vonce ve haff eqvipped our truppen vit der superior hellllmet, ve can prrrrogress tovards improffink zehr mobility - ve are movink avay from ze motorized models and haff a functionink prrrototype in field trialz... |  |
Zoon, mein fuhrer, er, Mr. President, zorry, ve shall have soldaten who vill be unschtoppable und ve can rule ze vorld!
| or check into a psycho ward and send posts to yourself on FR, whichever comes first eh? |  |
That "home team" blade can cut both ways..
We were NEVER reluctant to burn or bring down everything in the way to get to a target..
I would be more reluctant to burn my own neighborhood to get to a single target...
All things considered....I would rather fight in their back yard.... Not mine...
But if they do bring it to us --- it's going to be bad.. Very bad....for everyone involved.
Semper Fi
The local boys can run around with three magazines in their pockets and run circles around grunts with 80# loads.
I can see it now ....
It's 1500 meters to the bad guy .... hand me the .50 iron.
Add in an extra claymore or two, some extra C-4, and jsut for good measure a couple of extra grenades and I would totally agree. Water and stuff that goes bang are the most important thing but when carrying comm gear extra batteries are as important as extra ammunition.
Polar fleece, 300 weight or thicker and polypropolyene expedition weight long johns. Lighter sleeping bags from Wiggy's Inc that could be tailored to the conditions versus a intermediate or a extream cold choice only.
The Leatherman Tool and the Swiss Army (victoriainox) pocket knives were a tool box for the grunt for field repairs of PRC radios and other built by the lowest bidder crap.
My low tech never leave home without it was my Randall 14 knife with my dupont #5 crimpers and a Mk 13 Day Night flare attached. The basic tools of my trade in EOD.
Also the little Photon series LED lights will lead a thinking troop to toss his old 2 "D" cell flashlight away . For bivoac and general light requirements those little button lights worked every time. Even when wet they worked well for me. I attached a small velcro dot to the under side of my hats bill and when I wasn't in tactical mode and needed a headlamp for hands on tasks that little light was just the ticket. Some of the recent AA LED flashlights put out more light and battery life is ten fold vs that old L shaped POS. It did it's service well , time to retire it to better technology for "general purpose issue".
My ballistic vest that I used was an after market (we got away with that in EOD sometimes ) buy that also incorporated 2 camel back bags with drink tubes, 8 M16 magazines, 4 frag pockets and gear straps for a rolled up ecwcs foul weather jacket and pants. A pouch for a IV setup w/ combat tampons ect and a Saber radio pouch w/ a bone mic wire and drink tube sleeve. Word came to gear up it was one piece to don and go. Our side arm was carried in a eagle thigh holster as was 4 spare M16 magazines on the weak side thigh in an eagle brand carrier.
A pack that was issued late in my career was the CFP 90 that properly washed and reinforced by the parachute riggers sewing machine was IMHO perfect for existance loads and team gear.
The glock e-tool was lighter and easier to dig to china with and had a saw in the handle that actually worked well. It would hold a sharpened edge for quasi machete duty better than issue also. I never really liked the new and improved e-tool with the triangle handle as it seemed to bite your hands as you dug in hard. Up till I "bought out of pocket a Glock E-tool I carried my Korea-Nam Era E-tool with the straight handle and a pick. I would'nt have gave up the pick style e-tool had I not broke it and had a Glock handed to me ........Good tool !
I could rant about what "I" think is best , better and POS all day long but now in retirement I'm a minimal ultralite backpacker that cuts my toothbrush in half and carries 2 bandanas. One marked Face and the other Butt..........do that in the dark "once".....
Ya'll Stay Safe !
When I was an enlisted man I always ended up carrying the radio or mortar plate because I was bigger than average. MSG Romero has done more to serve the front line warrior than a whole auditorium of REMF engineers.
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