Friday, July 25, 2008

MRAP Mishaps

Not only is the occupation failing, but now they are sending the wrong equipment to our troops.

"
The message is especially relevant in Afghanistan.... due to the country's mountainous terrain and unpaved roads.... road shoulders... do not meet US standards and may collapse under the weight of the MRAP.... There have been at least 66 MRAP-related accidents between November and June"

That's not going to help our supply line problems.

Can you occupy a country any more incompetently, readers?


"Huge armored vehicles have deadly drawbacks, troops warned; Vulnerable to road hazards, accidents show" by Richard Lardner, Associated Press | July 25, 2008

WASHINGTON - The towering trucks that give US troops the best protection against roadside bombs and enemy bullets also make them vulnerable to routine hazards like sharp turns, rutted roads, and rickety bridges.

Five deaths caused by rollovers and dozens of other accidents in Iraq and Afghanistan have led US military leaders to warn troops to be smart behind the wheel, according to military documents obtained by The Associated Press and accident reports released under the Freedom of Information Act.

The message is especially relevant in Afghanistan, where a resurgent Taliban has boosted demand for these steel cocoons, known as MRAPs. Due to the country's mountainous terrain and unpaved roads, officials will send nearly 800 more RG-31s, the smallest of several different MRAPs the military now uses.

Yet even at a comparatively nimble 9 tons, the RG-31 is not immune from tipping. On June 29, three Green Berets drowned when theirs rolled into a canal in southern Afghanistan. The accident is under investigation.

The MRAPs - the military's acronym for "mine-resistant, ambush-protected" - get high marks from commanders for protecting US personnel from enemy attack. Close to 7,000 of the vehicles are already in use in Iraq and Afghanistan, and the Pentagon is buying at least that many more.

The wars and occupations are never ending, Americans -- unless you revolt against this government our it destroys itself, whichever comes first.

And there IS a DIFFERENCE, folks!!!

And despite their bulk, the MRAPs have power steering, air brakes, and quick acceleration. These features can lull drivers into thinking they're just handling a bigger version of the smaller and more agile Humvee.

"This ain't your father's Oldsmobile," says the June edition of "Safety Corner," an internal newsletter published by the Marine Corps Center for Lessons Learned in Quantico, Va.

There have been at least 66 MRAP-related accidents between November and June, according to Defense Department statistics. Nearly 40 of those involved a rollover caused by bad roads, weak bridges, or driver error.

"Road shoulders in the Middle East do not meet US standards and may collapse under the weight of the MRAP, especially when the road is above grade and can fall to lower ground," the Marine Corps newsletter cautions."