Greetings from cold, dusty, windy Iraq: Pontifex is back in country.
Smash posts a must read.
Kerry on National Security
Who: Senator Daniel Inouye (D-Hawaii).
What: Speech in opposition to amendment No. 1452 to the Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 1994 (excerpted from the Congressional Record).
When: February 2, 1994.
Where: The floor of the United States Senate.
Why: "As long as we are confronted with madmen, terrorists, and countries with strained agendas, I think it would be prudent on the part of the United States to maintain a ready force of men and women who are willing to stand in harm's way."
Tim at CPT Patti asks How Bad Can it be? and gets cranky with John Kerry's blather (scroll down to DEBUNKING SENATOR KERRY'S COMMENTS)
Kerry:
"If I am president, I will be prepared to use military force to protect our security, our people, and our vital interests. But I will never send our troops into harm's way without enough firepower and support."Kerry said that U.S. helicopters in Iraq even now "are flying missions without the best available anti-missile systems" and that "un-armored Humvees are falling victim to roadside bombs and small-arms fire.
"The Bush administration waited through month after month of ambushes and only acted to start manufacturing armored door kits three months ago," he said.
"Un-armored HUMMWVs" Senator? If you had a single solitary clue Senator you would know that HUMMWV's were never intended to be armored. As I've written here before, the HUMMWV replaced the Jeep. The Jeep was never armored. Nor was it expected to be. If you are so gol' darned concerned about HUMMWV armament, Senator, where was your "Congressional" inquiry to the Department of Defense asking about the absence of armor on HUMMWV's long ago?The HUMMV was never designed to be an armored vehicle because on a traditional battlefield it doesn't need to be. And fighting on traditional battlefields is how Congress funds the US Military. The problem we face now is that this war on terror is not fought on a traditional battlefield.
I defy you to show me one solitary line in any Defense Department Budget for "occupation operations" Senator. But it is precisely because we are in this unforseen situation that the issue of armor on HUMMV's has even come up.
To be fair to former Army Chief of Staff Shinseki, the Stryker vehicle envisioned hostile urban operations, Senator. Were you out there introducing legislation to hurry this vehicle into production and fielding, Senator? I didn't think so.
Senator, spare us the intimation of your prescience...you didn't have it, you don't have it.
Chief Wiggles posts a thank you...a standing Ovation is in order.
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SGT Hook signs off for a while...his unit for is deploying to Afghanistan ...you've been keeping up, right? Drop by and wish him good luck, Godspeed or whatever...a few bucks in the Q fund can't hurt either.
Donnie of We The People offers The Fragger Lexicon and wants your opinion.
Blackfive posts another Failed Bush Foreign Policy.