We could make more, just ask.....

[trust no one]

Friday’s Wall Street Journal editorial provided erroneous fodder in defense of Secretary Rumsfeld’s comments in Kuwait. Rumsfeld told the soldier at a December 8 "town hall" meeting that the amour shortage was due to "a matter of physics," and explained: "It isn't a matter of money. It isn't a matter on the part of the Army of desire. It's a matter of production and capability of doing it." The WSJ editorial stated: "When commanders first identified the need for more armored vehicles, in August 2003, production was at 30 per month; it's now up to 450 a month and the plants making armor are running at full capacity."

This argument was in conflict with other news reports I had read that have unequivocally stated the company that produces the military vehicles, and the one that fits them with armor, are not operating at full capacity; they are readily capable of increasing production, but have not been asked to do so by the Department of Defense.

The New York Post similarly attempted to defend Rumsfeld the same day, inaccurately publishing: "Meanwhile, [Humvee] armor and related equipment is being produced, distributed and installed as quickly as possible."

In contrast, a December 10 Cox News Service article reported that the same companies are NOT running at full capacity:

According to Cox News Service, AM General, the manufacturer of Humvees for the U.S. military, as well O'Gara-Hess & Eisenhardt, the company that adds armor to the utility vehicles, jointly stated they are NOT running near production capacity, and are making all that the Pentagon has requested.

Straight from the horse’s mouth, (if you will): "If they call and say, 'You know,we really want more,' we'll get it done," said Lee Woodward, AM General’s spokesperson. To continue, Michael Fox, from O'Gara-Hess & Eisenhardt, said they, too, can provide more if the government wants them.

The Cox article also noted House Armed Services Committee statistics released on December 9 that reveal dramatic shortages of armor for other military vehicles in Iraq: "Only 10 percent of the 4,814 medium-weight transport trucks have armor, and only 15 percent of the 4,314 heavy transport vehicles do.”

Where does the Wall Street Journal get their information?

Fox News Channel?

[mrbowler]

Maybe it is not a top priority until the soldiers start speaking out?

After all why spend the money when you plan to start drawing troops down after the elections


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