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08/25/2003 Archived Entry: "'We just do not have enough rifles to equip all of our soldiers.'"
We just do not have enough rifles to equip all of our soldiers.
This is unbelievable.
U.S. troops in Iraq may not have found weapons of mass destruction, but they're certainly getting their hands on the country's stock of Kalashnikovs and, they say, they need them.The soldiers based around Baqouba are from an armor battalion, which means they have tanks, Humvees and armored personnel carriers. But they are short on rifles.
A four-man tank crew is issued two M4 assault rifles and four 9 mm pistols, but they rely mostly on the tank's firepower for protection.
But now they are engaged in guerrilla warfare, patrolling narrow roads and goat trails where tanks are less effective. Troops often find themselves dismounting to patrol in smaller vehicles, making rifles essential.
"We just do not have enough rifles to equip all of our soldiers. So in certain circumstances, we allow soldiers to have an AK-47. They have to demonstrate some proficiency with the weapon. ... demonstrate an ability to use it," said Lt. Col. Mark Young, commander of the 3rd Battalion, 67th Armor Regiment, 4th Infantry Division.
"We just do not have enough rifles to equip all of our soldiers?" Where's all that damn defense budget money going?
Replies: 2 people speak up
I've been reading about this on Hackworth's site for awhile now. www.sftt.org
The mis-management of our armed forces has reached criminal proportions.
The Shrubanistas shouldn't be worried about re-election... they should be worried about being tried for war crimes and treason.
But we don't have a "fifth column" anymore, do we?
Posted by gonzoliberal @ 08/25/2003 05:42 PM NY
why not, an ak 47 is a much better gun than an m 16 anyway, larger caliber bullets, and it jams and misfires less. maybe we should do like the russians in "enemy at the gates" and issue one soldier a rifle, and the guy behind him extra bullets, so when the guy with the rifle dies, the other guy can pick it up and keep fighting...
i think that might be a good way to pay for bush's tax cuts, especially if we take away the soldiers medical and death benefits to go along with it. i swear, next time i hear some right wing douchebag say anything about supporting the troops im going to spit in his face
Posted by justin @ 08/26/2003 04:30 PM NY
