We did not need this before the first cup of coffee this morning [source: NYT, emphasis supplied]
A secret Pentagon study has found that at least 80 percent of the marines who have been killed in Iraq from wounds to their upper body could have survived if they had extra body armor. That armor has been available since 2003 but until recently the Pentagon has largely declined to supply it to troops despite calls from the field for additional protection, according to military officials.
Agitprop doesn't know about you, but we'd be willing to give up a bit of the tax cut to buy what these people need. We'd even pay more.
You go to war with the army you have not the army you might want or wish to have ...
Donald Rumsfeld, Dec. 8, 2004
I just put that quote of Rummy's on Earl's blog. It really stands out now, doesn't it? I'd definitley pay more taxes to keep our troops safer: Who wouldn't? Besides greedy, self-serving republicans, obviously.
Posted by: HelenWheels | January 07, 2006 at 08:28 AM
Originally, taxes were part of the social contract. We gladly paid taxes because we got something valuable in return: protection from REAL enemies, better roads, working harbors, etc.
The system now is just plain wrong. Grumble.
Posted by: Doug Hoffman | January 07, 2006 at 09:17 AM
Brings a whole new meaning to the phrase "death and taxes".
Posted by: comandante agi | January 07, 2006 at 09:20 AM
Into the fucking meat grinder they go.
What sort of cold calculus was it that went into making the decision to ignore the requests from the field?
Posted by: Robot Buddha | January 07, 2006 at 12:59 PM
This is such a goddamn stupid shithead story it leaves me breathless. So instead of 'burdening' them with extra armor they choose to let them die?!! This is a national fucking disgrace! It's a human fucking disgrace!!
Posted by: Neil Shakespeare | January 07, 2006 at 02:05 PM
Marquis de Rumsfeld strikes again.
Posted by: Gotham Image | January 07, 2006 at 02:58 PM
If we could order Rumsfeld to the front lines, I'm sure the armor would magically appear. He should be ashamed!
Posted by: Kathy | January 07, 2006 at 03:03 PM
So what's new? When I was in the Army, (Late 50's.) I lugged a great chunk of scrap iron around for a while, (I was about the only one in our platoon that could lift the damn thing.) called a BAR. A wonderful invention from the First WW. But at least they gave us an asbestos glove to wear when the barrel got too fucking hot to hold on to.
Of course if you had a cold from all the fucking lousy clothes they gave you and living in unheated barracks and you wiped your nose while wearing said glove it might just fall off. Obviously I didn't because I still have mine and believe me I SMELL SHIT!
Posted by: GRUMPY OLD MAN | January 08, 2006 at 11:14 AM
It's not that the pentagon doesn't have enough money; it's how they choose to spend it. I wrote about it some here, if you care to read it.
Posted by: Nathan | January 08, 2006 at 11:46 AM
This just sucks all around, blogenfreude.
Posted by: lily | January 09, 2006 at 06:23 AM