Mine resistant ambush protected vehicles counter IEDs, ambushes

Marine Corps News ^ | Pfc. J. Ethan Hoaldridge

[SandRat]

U.S. MARINE CORPS FORCES PACIFIC, CAMP H. M. SMITH, Hawaii (June 24, 2005) -- “Block off all their main and secondary supply lines for these are their main arteries, and ambush them along those routes for they are exposed and easy prey.”

These words from Abu Musab al-Zarqawi were cited by the Winds of Change website, showing the real danger for convoys traveling Marine supply lines in Iraq.

There have been 341 Marines killed in action and 4,099 wounded in combat during Operation Iraqi Freedom since February 16, 2004. How many of these fatalities and casualties have been caused by improvised explosive devices and ambushes on convoys? Mine Resistant Ambush Protected Vehicles could’ve saved some of those lives and kept those Marines in the fight.

With its flat bottom and soft-skin plastic doors, if a humvee is directly hit by a land mine or IED, most likely the passengers inside will lose their life and the vehicle will be destroyed beyond repair, said Maj. Gert de Wet, Central Command plans officer.

“In 1968, South Africans in conjunction with Rhodesians started developing the technology to create new vehicles that would counter the land mine threat introduced in the Bush War in Southern Africa. They developed the technology th----

[SandRat]

The USAF loves the B-52 and from the very beginning the crews have reffered to her as BUFF = Big Ugly Fat F***** and they have all loved flying her. Being a BUTT UGLY looking machine in the military is not a bad thing, if it works, is easy to operate and maintain.

[SandRat]

Yep, oh the ecstasy if we could have that all the time.

[TomasUSMC]

One unfortunate aspect of armoring HMMVVs & trucks is that no truck can be armored enough to prevent it being destroyed by 200 lbs of plastic explosive being set off under or next too it. That much will flip a tank over.

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EXACTLY!

But, I tell you what will reduce these mines being placed. If everytime a convoy is attacked by mines or suicide bombers, 10 times the damage is inflicted on Syria, by some random righteous act of serious violence - you watch how the Syrians start to close their border down and start to exert some calming guidance over the Sunni. Same goes for the Irainians.

But instead the Bush White House continues to encourage our enemies by allowing them unmolested sanctuaries in Iran and Syria. WHY?

Hell, at least, even LBJ and Nixon bombed Cambodia and Laos.

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[Ranger]

Very good question. One possibility is that I read in an obscure report that Syria turned back over 300 Saudis last month. Could be Syrian government is divided. Curious we're not reading about the Saudi's turning them back. There must be a high number of one way flights to Syria. Still you wonder why the lights are on in Damascuss and why night clubs frequented by Iraqi Baathists in Syria aren't blowing up.