Beowulf
03-07-2004, 01:57 PM
http://apnews.myway.com/article/20040306/D814VGIG1.html
WASHINGTON (AP) - John Kerry, the Democratic presidential nominee-in-waiting, challenged the Bush administration Saturday to reimburse the families of U.S. troops "who had to buy the body armor" needed for protection in Iraq.
"If I am president, I will be prepared to use military force to protect our security, our people and our vital interests," the Massachusetts senator said in the Democrats' weekly radio address.
"But I will never send our troops into harm's way without enough firepower and support."
The five-minute speech gave Kerry an opportunity to speak to a nationwide audience five days after wrapping up his party's nomination with a string of primary and caucus victories.
(AP) Supporters for John Kerry, including Laurence Mousky, left, cheer while watching returns from the...
Full Image
The choice of topics underscored his intention to challenge President Bush's conduct of the war on terror, and he accused the president of shortchanging the troops on items needed for their own protection.
Kerry said tens of thousands of troops arrived in Iraq "to find that - with danger around every corner - there wasn't enough body armor to protect them." Many families purchased the equipment and had it sent overseas, he added.
"Families should be sending pictures and care packages to Iraq - and the Department of Defense should be sending the body armor," Kerry said.
He called on the president to support a bill he has introduced in the Senate to reimburse families for their purchase of body armor. Similar legislation is pending in the House.
Kerry said acting Army Secretary Les Brownlee had testified before Congress that U.S. forces were "not prepared" for the present conflict in Iraq and they didn't have the preparation and hardware they needed to fight as effectively as they could.
In testimony before the Senate Armed Services Committee on Tuesday, Brownlee was asked why the Army took so long to produce adequate numbers of upgraded body armor and Humvees with extra armor plating.
"I also regret that we were not more farsighted here. We simply were not prepared for that kind of a counterinsurgency that attacked our convoys and our soldiers in the rear, as it has proven to be," he said.
In addition, Kerry said, "We hear reports that - in dangerous parts of Iraq - our helicopters are flying missions without the best available anti-missile system."
"At the same time, unarmored Humvees are falling victim to roadside bombs and small-arms fire. The Bush administration waited through month after month of ambushes and only acted to start manufacturing armored kits three months ago," he added.
This is a fairly legitimate criticism, concerning the supply issues of the last two military operations. Although the problem has less to do with the CinC and more to do with a cumbersome acquisition system, and the Reserve and Guard components getting less and less over the last 10 yrs. and then suddenly being asked to do the same jobs with older equipment. :bash:
WASHINGTON (AP) - John Kerry, the Democratic presidential nominee-in-waiting, challenged the Bush administration Saturday to reimburse the families of U.S. troops "who had to buy the body armor" needed for protection in Iraq.
"If I am president, I will be prepared to use military force to protect our security, our people and our vital interests," the Massachusetts senator said in the Democrats' weekly radio address.
"But I will never send our troops into harm's way without enough firepower and support."
The five-minute speech gave Kerry an opportunity to speak to a nationwide audience five days after wrapping up his party's nomination with a string of primary and caucus victories.
(AP) Supporters for John Kerry, including Laurence Mousky, left, cheer while watching returns from the...
Full Image
The choice of topics underscored his intention to challenge President Bush's conduct of the war on terror, and he accused the president of shortchanging the troops on items needed for their own protection.
Kerry said tens of thousands of troops arrived in Iraq "to find that - with danger around every corner - there wasn't enough body armor to protect them." Many families purchased the equipment and had it sent overseas, he added.
"Families should be sending pictures and care packages to Iraq - and the Department of Defense should be sending the body armor," Kerry said.
He called on the president to support a bill he has introduced in the Senate to reimburse families for their purchase of body armor. Similar legislation is pending in the House.
Kerry said acting Army Secretary Les Brownlee had testified before Congress that U.S. forces were "not prepared" for the present conflict in Iraq and they didn't have the preparation and hardware they needed to fight as effectively as they could.
In testimony before the Senate Armed Services Committee on Tuesday, Brownlee was asked why the Army took so long to produce adequate numbers of upgraded body armor and Humvees with extra armor plating.
"I also regret that we were not more farsighted here. We simply were not prepared for that kind of a counterinsurgency that attacked our convoys and our soldiers in the rear, as it has proven to be," he said.
In addition, Kerry said, "We hear reports that - in dangerous parts of Iraq - our helicopters are flying missions without the best available anti-missile system."
"At the same time, unarmored Humvees are falling victim to roadside bombs and small-arms fire. The Bush administration waited through month after month of ambushes and only acted to start manufacturing armored kits three months ago," he added.
This is a fairly legitimate criticism, concerning the supply issues of the last two military operations. Although the problem has less to do with the CinC and more to do with a cumbersome acquisition system, and the Reserve and Guard components getting less and less over the last 10 yrs. and then suddenly being asked to do the same jobs with older equipment. :bash: