How Bout' That Soldier Throwing A Loaded Question At Rumsfeld!

[BigFish]

Anybody see the tape of the soldier in Iraq asking Rumsfeld why "they have to rummage around in scrap heaps over there looking for steel to armour their vehicle.....why are they not properly supplied with armored vehicles"? Guy has balls and good for him I say! Rumsfeld looked dumfounded! Then the reporter went on to say that the soldier will not face any "punishment" for asking the question of Rumsfeld! Can you believe that! That even the thought of punishing this soldier for asking a question that he has a right to ask and is over there fighting for such a right was even broached!

[Billybob]

I say good for him too. What a disgrace when your wasting millions on Halliburton but can't properly equip your troops.
.
What was real funny was the soldiers EX-wife's comment. She said she wasn't surprised, that he would have "dissed" W himself if he was there.

[Moses]

http://www.drudgereport.com/flashcp.htm

[Gloucester2]

Let's face it that guy will have a short military career . . . he'll be "untouchable" until he decide's to leave the service - but they won't make it easy.

Full disclosure - I've never been in the Service but I expect it works the same way as in the Civilian world.

[Backbeach Jake]

The company that makes armor for humvees said the Gummit has never contacted them for more armor. Excuse my french but WTF!! How many deaths and maimings would this have prevented?

[tynan19]

Just saw it on the news. G W B said the soldier had everyright to ask that question and deserves an answer.
I personally congratulate that soldier on his question. That is why we are over there in the first place. To protect our freedom of speech.

[JohnR]

Put up to it or not, guys got Stainless ones all right.

And they should not need to fight with the army they have if it is defficient. We should have the second source Hummer plant working 3 shifts for UpArmored vehicles and expand production to new facilities if needed. This lack of armor issues on Hummers has been going on for well over a YEAR. There is no excuse for it.

"Compromised Glass" Glass that has aready been broken being reused for this...

As an interim solution I have heard of several instances for using the materials used for spray on liners to enhance the protection of stuck HMMMVs:

http://www.strategypage.com/dls/articles/200481423.asp

I read somewhere that the Army won't certify the extra weight on the stock Humvees. Let's see, somewhat overloaded but tougher Hummers thru normal channels or grossly overweight stock hummers with far heavier steel plate becuase it was necessary to cirumvent the rules... Asswipes...

[fishsmith]

to that soldier!! Good for him, his 15 minutes of fame will hopefully save some lives.
It's fing disgraceful that our military is going through Iraqi landfills to better armor themselves.

[Nebe]

I'm proud of that guy. enough said.

[zacs]

I heard he was a plant from the %$%$%$%$ admin to drum up more support for increased defense spending......and that rummy was fully aware the Q was coming, and the whole thing was a Giant Charade (sp?).
_Z_

[spence]

And people wonder why some of us are so disgusted with this Administration. American's are worried about our sons and daughters being blown up and all they care about is marketability and the bottom line.

War isn't a business.

-spence

[Nebe]

Originally posted by spence
War isn't a business.

-spence

sure it is if your a president who is a stockholder in companies who make bombs... you make a war, you make $$$

[CAL]

Originally posted by tynan19
That is why we are over there in the first place. To protect our freedom of speech.

Excuse me? Exactly when did the war have anything to do with this?

[Skip N]

we going down this road again?

[Fishpart]

There is never enough money to buy what needs to be bought.

We've been sandbagging vehicles to protect soldiers since WWI and soldiers have been improvising since before that.

The soldier asked the right questions and his Officers and NCOs will support him as long as he isn't one of those guys who always lets his alligator mouth overpower his tadpole a$$.

[kevin d]

I think that soldier was right for asking what is going on. Its his right and nobody in his chain of command would be stupid enough to punish him for not doing anything wrong. The Army should give him a medal!
Don't blame "the administration" for the Army's lack of armor. The administration has #^&#^&#^&#^& money for whatever the folks have asked for. War is a "run what you brung" environment. Hummers were never designed to be armored assault vehicles. They replaced the old Jeep. Those things went through at leat 3 wars and were sand bagged in every one of them.
If you just start bolting stuff onto the Hummers you eventually exceed the design specs and things break. In a combat zone, no amount of armor will protect a Hummer if it can't move.

[Navy Chief]

Hey guys

We ask hard questions of our commanders all the time. They encourage us to ask hard questions. Admirals and Generals come visit they know that we are going to throw hardballs. I asked a 4 star Admiral something one time and he had to research and E-mail the answer to me.

We have an all volunteer force and sometimes a E-3 or E-4 asked the right question and major changes in the way we do business happens.

That guy won't get in trouble or have a short career or any of that. His chain of command will support him. This is one of those things that CBS news picked up on and thought was new. It happens everyday.

[RIJIMMY]

Agreed Skip, lets hope bravery in the face of difficult circumstances is something that is honored in our military, not punished. Rememeber, Rumsfeld IS NOT military, he is civilian. The military brass LOVED that question.

So enough talking.....what can we do? I would donate cash to get these guys equipment. I'd even volunteer time to weld metal to humvees. Is there anything we can do beside squawking?

[Crafty Angler]

Originally posted by spence
And people wonder why some of us are so disgusted with this Administration. American's are worried about our sons and daughters being blown up and all they care about is marketability and the bottom line.

War isn't a business.

-spence

Sure it is. It's made a helluva lot of people in this country wealthy.

Anybody old enough to remember the 'military/industrial complex'?

It's still doing well and making obscene amounts of money - war is their business and right now business is very good.

[Skip N]

Not that it meens much but do you read were the question was not the soldiers idea. It was accually a reporter than gave the soldier the question. According to the ProJo anyway. Still a good question to ask and will get the ball rolling on the armor issue.