Posted on 06/29/2007 2:36:03 PM PDT by nypokerface
WASHINGTON, June 29 (UPI) -- U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates is leaning on industry executives to speed the deployment of new armored vehicles to Iraq.
"For every month we delay, scores of young Americans are going to die," he said Friday at a Pentagon press conference.
Gates has adopted a decidedly contrary attitude to that of his predecessor Donald Rumsfeld, who once told a soldier in Kuwait who complained about the lack of armor on his Humvee that "you go to war with the army you have, not the army you might want or wish to have,"
Gates said he was initially told it would take at least 60 days after the vehicles were built to fit them out with communications equipment and ship them to Iraq.
"I basically said that I didn't think that was acceptable," Gates said. "And the way I have put it to everyone is that you have to look outside the normal bureaucratic way of doing things. And so does industry, because lives are at stake."
He said it would be several months before the multiple companies who have been awarded contracts to build versions of the Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicle can begin producing "many hundreds" a month.
"They're working hard to figure out a way to cut the timelines on this, but I think that a significant flow is probably a few months off. But right now, I want them there fast enough that we're actually flying some of these vehicles to Iraq," Gates said.
The U.S. military in Iraq wants more than 17,000 of the vehicles to do a one-for-one replacement of the up-armored Humvee.
I like Gates. I liked him as president of Texas A&M. [I do resent the swipe at Rumsfeld in this article. They use the same swipe over and over.]
Gates has adopted a decidedly contrary attitude to that of his predecessor Donald Rumsfeld, who once told a soldier in Kuwait who complained about the lack of armor on his Humvee that "you go to war with the army you have, not the army you might want or wish to have" ...Rumsfeld's maxim sitll applies, Gateses begging industry actors on his hands and knees while making photo ops notwithstanding. The new bush administration sucks.
Rummy’s and Gates’ statements are technically not contradictory. It sounds like Rummy wasn’t in a position to know or say if or when the fielded armor would be beefed up. Oddly enough, I’m hearing that there is now more consideration being given to foot troops, as the existing vehicles are sometimes deathtraps for the newest insurgent weapons.
Being able to get better equipment helps the new Iraq government, which is going to be at strife with the insurgents for a long time after we go, as well as helping us.
You’re right—Rumsfeld was merely stating the reality. [He reminds me of my parents and grandparents.] Liberals dislike reality. I’m glad to see Gates exerting pressure. I expect it of him.
17,000 of these......for IRAQ?
1000 of them (700 standard + 300 in 6x6) cost $490 million, and doesn’t appear to include weaponry or the fancy electronics......17,000 would be $8.33 billion for just the basic vehicles.....and I suppose that we’d just HAVE to donate the 17k old ones to Iraq instead of posting them on our own southern border where they should be patrolling 10 per mile while we build the barrier.....
I think you’re right. The liberal media wants it to appear that Rummy was callous and uncaring.
(forgot this)
It’s a three-letter word that’s become synonymous with the war in Iraq — IED, or improvised explosive device. While no vehicle is IED-proof, the Marines have placed an order for 1000 mine-resistant, ambush-protected vehicles (MRAPs), which are better armored than a Humvee, and feature V-shaped undercarriages that partially redirect explosive blasts around the vehicle. The $490 million contract, the biggest MRAP order so far, calls for 300 Cougar 4x4s (pictured above) and 700 of the larger, six-wheeled Cougar 6x6s. The Cougars will be used by bomb-disposal teams in Iraq, and the Pentagon hopes to eventually deploy a total of 7774 MRAPs.
http://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/military_law/4218214.html
I’m sure Gates is OK and means well. On the other hand, the media has found their angle:
“contrary attitude to that of his predecessor Donald Rumsfeld, who once told a soldier in Kuwait who complained about the lack of armor on his Humvee that “you go to war with the army you have, not the army you might want or wish to have,” “
This is a made up media conflict. As usual, a good selling story NEEDS conflict of some sort, even if it’s made up. Bottom line- Certain hardware desired was being pumped out as fast as possible and the media and some congress people talking about it wasn’t going to make it go any faster, but it did give them a story and something to bash the administration with. In three years they built 20,000 armored HMMWV’s while building other equipment! Is the glass half empty or full?
What Rumsfeld said has always been the case, and it will always be such, unless you live in an imaginary media fantasy land. Ask those troops of the 101st Airborne in WWII at Bastogne if their boots kept their feet warm, or a soldier in the onset of Vietnam toting a heavy M14……. Never will you achieve the fairy land state that this journalist lives in.
You got it - SecDef Rumsfeld simply said reality (and the MSM/left hate that).
On this topic the more MRAPs we get into the box the better - That SecDef Gates is pushing for such with a sense of urgency I find nothing wrong with.
Unless that or any journalist is into Hallucinogens....which more than quite a few broadly-known newspeople seem to act like they've acheived a "Higher State".
'Sounds like an argument for moving into Iran.
I haven’t had time to study Gates but saw him today. One thing that bothered me about him was his failing to look the questioner in the eye when responding to a question.
He seems kind and serious but Rummy was my favorite in the Bush Adm. Guess my opinion is worthless as to Sec. Gates.
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