Incredible
Just incredible. I almost spit out my coffee when I read this story in the Washington Post.
Sending troops off to war is a hell of a thing.
Sending troops off to war with glee when you desperately avoided the same situation in your youth is something else, and more than a bit dodgy.
Sending troops off to war with glee when you desperately avoided the same situation in your youth and the war is based on a pack of lies and enriches your family and friends is even sorrier.
But sending troops off to war with glee when you desperately avoided the same situation in your youth and the war is based on a pack of lies and enriches your family and friends, BUT THE TROOPS DON'T HAVE ENOUGH WEAPONS, AMMUNITION, OR EVEN (for Chrissakes) HELMETS AND BOOTS is so beyond the pale that I can't imagine that the situation would ever come up. Yet it has.
"The military already has identified unmet funding needs, including initiatives aimed at providing equipment and weapons for troops in Iraq. The Army has publicly identified nearly $6 billion in funding requests that did not make Bush's $402 billion defense budget for 2005, including $132 million for bolt-on vehicle armor; $879 million for combat helmets, silk-weight underwear, boots and other clothing; $21.5 million for M249 squad automatic weapons; and $27 million for ammunition magazines, night sights and ammo packs. Also unfunded: $956 million for repairing desert-damaged equipment and $102 million to replace equipment lost in combat.
The Marine Corps' unfunded budget requests include $40 million for body armor, lightweight helmets and other equipment for 'Marines engaged in the global war on terrorism,' Marine Corps documents state. The Marines are also seeking 1,800 squad automatic weapons and 5,400 M4 carbine rifles."
So let's see: the Bush people started a war and didn't put enough troops in theater, choosing instead to fire or smear the generals who pointed out that more soldiers were needed. Then, as if the first part wasn't bad enough, they leave the troops there, who, again, do not have sufficient numbers to keep order, without enough guns, ammo, and protective clothing.
Just how incompetent can one group of "leaders" be?
Just incredible. I almost spit out my coffee when I read this story in the Washington Post.
Sending troops off to war is a hell of a thing.
Sending troops off to war with glee when you desperately avoided the same situation in your youth is something else, and more than a bit dodgy.
Sending troops off to war with glee when you desperately avoided the same situation in your youth and the war is based on a pack of lies and enriches your family and friends is even sorrier.
But sending troops off to war with glee when you desperately avoided the same situation in your youth and the war is based on a pack of lies and enriches your family and friends, BUT THE TROOPS DON'T HAVE ENOUGH WEAPONS, AMMUNITION, OR EVEN (for Chrissakes) HELMETS AND BOOTS is so beyond the pale that I can't imagine that the situation would ever come up. Yet it has.
"The military already has identified unmet funding needs, including initiatives aimed at providing equipment and weapons for troops in Iraq. The Army has publicly identified nearly $6 billion in funding requests that did not make Bush's $402 billion defense budget for 2005, including $132 million for bolt-on vehicle armor; $879 million for combat helmets, silk-weight underwear, boots and other clothing; $21.5 million for M249 squad automatic weapons; and $27 million for ammunition magazines, night sights and ammo packs. Also unfunded: $956 million for repairing desert-damaged equipment and $102 million to replace equipment lost in combat.
The Marine Corps' unfunded budget requests include $40 million for body armor, lightweight helmets and other equipment for 'Marines engaged in the global war on terrorism,' Marine Corps documents state. The Marines are also seeking 1,800 squad automatic weapons and 5,400 M4 carbine rifles."
So let's see: the Bush people started a war and didn't put enough troops in theater, choosing instead to fire or smear the generals who pointed out that more soldiers were needed. Then, as if the first part wasn't bad enough, they leave the troops there, who, again, do not have sufficient numbers to keep order, without enough guns, ammo, and protective clothing.
Just how incompetent can one group of "leaders" be?
posted by Jude at 8:49 AM
