[donmeaker]

"The Stryker combat teams, which have about 3,600 soldiers, were conceived in 1999 by former Army Chief of Staff Eric Shinseki with the idea of closing the gap between the Army's slow-moving heavy tank units and its light infantry forces, which are quick to deploy but have limited firepower. "

But the heavy tank units are already there! Moving the tanks out and putting in the lightish forces now is ludicrous.

[lshoultz]

Yeah but you gotta understand that several generals are in line to make millions from this deployment. Shinseki, Heebner, Keane all have a stake in this. Their deal with General Dynamics is not that the Stryker works but that America deploys it in combat.

They had rather deploy it in Kosovo but they've got to send it to Iraq. However, when the first one hits the ground all foreign sales are finalized and the bonuses are payable on that date. The small item that we're sending along 3,700 American kids dressed as test dummies is no problem when you're going for the gold.

Shinseki needs his loot to run for the Senate from Hawaii next year after he's killed enough American kids in this iron trap. All it is missing is handles on the outside so they can carry it like a coffin.

[lshoultz]

Generals Shinseki. Heebner and Keane all have stock options riding on the US committing this vehicle to combat. They thought it would be to Kosovo and nobody would get hurt but the Army planners said "if its certified, it goes where we need it - Iraq." So, the generals can give up their retirement money (and Shinseki his campaign money to run for Inouye's Senate seat from Hawaii next year) or pray the nobody gets mangled too badly.

[lshoultz]

Generals Shinseki. Heebner and Keane all have stock options riding on the US committing this vehicle to combat. They thought it would be to Kosovo and nobody would get hurt but the Army planners said "if its certified, it goes where we need it - Iraq." So, the generals can give up their retirement money (and Shinseki his campaign money to run for Inouye's Senate seat from Hawaii next year) or pray the nobody gets mangled too badly.