SEN. KENNEDY DEMANDS THAT AMERICA'S TROOPS BE GIVEN THE ARMOR THEY DESERVE

[paineinthearse]

After Rumsfeld's dog and pony show in December, I can't believe that front line troops STILL do not have sufficient protection.

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SENATOR EDWARD M. KENNEDY DEMANDS THAT AMERICA'S TROOPS BE GIVEN THE ARMOR THEY DESERVE

February 10, 2005

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For Immediate Release
Contact: David Smith / Jim Manley
[phone]

This morning, on National Public Radio, I heard a story about young Americans joining the Marines. Instead of offering education opportunities, the Marines are attracting new recruits with appeals to national service in times of war. Marine recruiters don't skirt the fact that recruits are likely to end up fighting in a real war. As one Marine put it, "After all, that's what we do." I found it very moving, and it re-enforces my sense that young Americans really do want to devote their lives to service - in the military, in their communities, or in so many other ways. But the basic fact remains; when our brave young men and women sign up for service to this country, we owe it to them to ensure they have the best protection that American ingenuity and industry can provide.

But, the President sent our soldiers into battle without the armor they need. Last year, President Bush's budget did not begin to fund all the armor the troops needed. It offered only $300 million to pay for armored humvees -- far short of what was needed to protect our troops. Now we hear, that, as of last month, the Marine Corps still needs $300 million for armor-kits and humvees, and the Army needs an additional $450 million for its armored vehicles.

I recently received an email from a soldier who described his efforts in Iraq just last month to get armor for the trucks in his unit. First, he was given scraps from other units' armor. When that ran out, he went through a scrap dumpster to find the rest of the material he needed to armor the cabs of their trucks. The soldier wrote in his email, "The first day we had to make do with small scraps of 1 centimeter thick steel plating. These scraps were what was left from the up-armoring detachment efforts and they were gracious in letting us collect their scrap to use to protect our drivers… I volunteered to try and get more scrap… I was beginning to think my effort a waste when XXX came by with a huge forklift with several tons of steel plate, not scrap, but entire plates up to 5 ft. by 4 ft in size and asked me if I wanted it. Frankly it was more than I thought we could use by half but I new we had struck gold for our unit."

Still, after all this, here we are again today, debating the merits of arming our troops with what they need for basic survival. How can we send our men and women into harms way without the body armor and uparmored humvees they need in order to stay safe? How can we ask their families here at home to make huge sacrifices when this Administration isn't willing to protect their loved ones?

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p.s. The original Mayor Quimby will be on Charlie Rose tonight at 11PM.

[Cha]

1. WE SHOULD HAVE YELLOW RIBBONS

THAT SAY.."PROTECT THE TROOPS!"

[paineinthearse]

3. Great idea, it's subtle, but obvious to those who think about it. n/t

[Cha]

5. Yes, and I've been thinking about it

for awhile..it came to me one day and this is the first I saw a chance to put it out there.

Big Yellow Magnetic Ones!

[Generator]

2. It's a disgrace

And what kills me, just kills me is that it doesn't matter to those that claim to support the troops the most.

Where's the outrage from the Republicans? From Free Republic?

I don't care if you are my best friend, if you treated my other friend like this I would take you to task.

Why always rationalizations-it's not that bad? Support Bush! What the fuck? It's like a cult. I support no one that treats me bad and lies to me about it. Why do they?

[marcologico]

4. If Teddy listens to NPR he's more tolerant than I thought.

That stuff is straight yellow-ribbon spin, as far as Iraq goes anyway.

[mattclearing]

6. Is this before or after they come home?

Cause I seem to remember him wanting them home two weeks ago.

Now he'll settle for armor?