Obama: Ill equipped US Soldiers resort to using Talbian equipment in Afganistan

http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/02/21/debate.transcript/index.html ^

[HD1200]

OBAMA: You know, I’ve heard from an Army captain who was the head of a rifle platoon — supposed to have 39 men in a rifle platoon. Ended up being sent to Afghanistan with 24 because 15 of those soldiers had been sent to Iraq.

OBAMA: And as a consequence, they didn’t have enough ammunition, they didn’t have enough humvees. They were actually capturing Taliban weapons, because it was easier to get Taliban weapons than it was for them to get properly equipped by our current commander in chief.

OBAMA: Now, that’s a consequence of bad judgment. And you know, the question is, on the critical issues that we face right now, who’s going to show the judgment to lead? And I think that on every critical issue that we’ve seen in foreign policy over the last several years — going into Iraq originally, I didn’t just oppose it for the sake of opposing it. I said this is going to distract us from Afghanistan; this is going to fan the flames of anti-American sentiment; it’s going to cost us billions of dollars and thousands of lives and overstretch our military. And I was right.

[3IDVET]

I can tell you from experiene this is straight BULLSH*T But unless McCain decides to call him on it.. the media sure as hell won’t.. BTW, After yesterdays nyt’s Hit job, I am behind John McCain all the way.Period

[Rush4U]

Here you go, it was a “Kerry like” mistake.

North Vietnamese Army 39 men in a Rifle Platoon

http://orbat.com/site/toe/toe/usa/plattoe.html

[Hoffer Rand]

And if 15 soldiers were sent to Iraq instead, you’d think the remaining in Afganistan would have more supplies. Unless the supplies got split, too, which begs the question: who split the supplies badly? Either way, hardly the President’s fault.

I think it’s time to pull on the hip waders and hold your watches over your head. That’s a pretty big load of you-know-what he just dumped.

[PapaBear3625]

Question for the Army types out there: is it usual for a platoon to be commanded by a captain?

Lieutenants command platoons, which generally have 30 men. Captains command companies of about 100 men (generally 3 platoons plus a headquarters squad)

[rlmorel]

About being more weather and sand resistant, perhaps.

However, I do believe a AK uses 7.62x39 ammo...

[vpintheak]

Absolutely not. The Captain would have to be the biggest crap bag int he millitary to be commanding an infantry platoon. These spots are filled by 2nd Lt’s; the ones fresh out of training and school, their first assignement in the Army. Not a Captain. I call BS Osama, er I mean omama.

[MNJohnnie]

Platoon - 16 to 44 soldiers. A platoon is led by a lieutenant with an NCO as second in command, and consists of two to four squads or sections.

http://usmilitary.about.com/od/army/l/blchancommand.htm

Since they describe it as an Infantry platoon around 40 would be a reasonable number. An Armor platoon would be around 16 (4 tanks x 4 crew per tank. Not sure how many in an Arty platoon.

[UPcrawfish]

AK47 fires a 7.62 x 39mm cartridge
M-16 fires a 5.56 x 45mm cartridge
They are not interchangeable. US troops are not opposed to acquiring combatants firearms and using them against the enemy. AK makes an entirely different sound when firing as opposed to the M16...

[ASOC]

Thanks for posting the transcript.

Obama = moron, it is as polite as I can be this AM.

[CSM]

Hey Obama, did you vote in support of the funding bill?

[OPS4]

Depnding on the fire mission, they are on, whether it be for forward ops back to command and control, normal patrols,
or an assasintion attempt, could call for varied rifle company sizes in the Afgan campaign. If the Mission is top secret and is based on supproting an Ops Mission a Captain would be in control.

Obama would not heard of the latter, because it would be Top Secret, and not talked about.

Sound like Obama crap to me.

[windcliff]

ping

[Right Wing Assault]

Since he has no military experience, maybe he should just stick to his ‘black experience’ stories.

[Halo-JM]

Nato 5.56 ammo (M16)is not interchangeable with 7.62 X 39 (AK47)

Just some friendly FYI

[ridesthemiles]

This kind of a headline is bogus, IMO.

Combantants on opposite sides since the days of the cave men have been taking the other side’s equipment and weapons for thousands of years. It is good use of resources in two ways- the other side no longer has the weapon, and your side has more weapons.

[catman67]

Wouldn’t want to shoot a 5.62mm round into a 5.56mm barrel!

[sarasota]

Or perhaps he’s being coached by John Kerry, whose military expertise is no doubt “seared” into his memory.

[maica]

Looks like Obama Campaign has been taken in by another one of the Anti American movement’s phony soldiers.

######

and BHO was so hesitant in his answer, it was like watching a student struggle to find a memorized answer during an oral exam.

[idkfa]

Was the captain referring to the past when he was a lieutenant in charge of the platoon? It would still be unusual for a platoon to split up unless it wasn’t an infantry platoon.

[Califreak]

I heard that and wondered if he was more upset at our lack of equipment or at the fact that they are taking equipment from the Taliban.

I thought it was kind of weird how he worded his statement.

I’m not military, but aren’t you supposed to take their weapons whenever possible?

Makes sense to me.