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The New Humvees
A serious and recurrent problem in Iraq has been the scarcity of up-armored Humvees. Many units in Operation Iraqi Freedom 1 did not have the advantage of up-armored Humvees until close to the end of the year. When I embedded with 1AD in Baghdad, the Division was a few weeks from the scheduled end of their one-year rotation, and they had only recently received an incomplete compliment up-armored Humvees. Many of their vehicles were still unarmored, but had metal plates added, for example, to cover the slats in open back “cargo” model Humvees. As one of the medics explained to me (after requesting that I not use his name), the plates were really there just to give the soldiers some [false] sense of security. The plates were not sufficient to stop bullets, as the troop had learned when one of their own men accidentally shot through a plate with a round smaller than the 7.62 commonly used by anti-Coalition forces. The up-armored Humvees, by contrast, are real lifesavers. In the Adhamiyah region of Baghdad, an up-armored Humvee was hit with a 155 mm mortar round configured as an IED. The Humvee was wrecked, 7 Iraqis traveling on the street were killed by the blast, but every soldier in the Humvee walked away. Sgt. Yeb, who was in the Humvee at the time of the IED, told me that if the makers of the up-armored Humvee ever need a spokesman, he’s their man.
Yet up-armored Humvees were slow coming to the soldiers. When Echo 196 came into country, they were promised that they would not leave Kuwait until they had up-armored Humvees. Despite this promise, the company traveled all the way through Iraq in the back of unarmored 5-ton-trucks (essentially large cargo trucks with wood slats)—leaving the troops exposed to the elements and the enemy. When I met up with E 196 here at Bernstein, they finally had up-armored Humvees . . . but not enough. The scarcity meant that platoons were forced to share Humvees, which in turn meant that platoon missions had to be staggered to take into account the limited resources. It also meant that the crews did not have regular vehicles which they used on a consistent basis—a small detail except that the idiosyncrasies of a radio set or of the vehicle has a strange way of becoming important in combat situations. Humvees with mechanical problems that ordinarily would have merited taking the vehicle out of commission were used because the company simply could not afford to lose a Humvee, and when Humvees were sent for service, getting parts became a quest all its own.
A couple of weeks ago, Generals Morgan and Hickman came for a ceremony here in Tuz. They were to be transported in Humvees to the Joint Operation Center (JOC), where the ceremony was to take place. Both Humvees used by 3d platoon for the transport had scars in the bulletproof glass from, well, bullets. One of the vehicles blasted hot air on the passenger seat. The other Humvee shook violently until the vehicle reached around 35 MPH. The two rear doors would only stay closed if they were combat locked (a latch mechanism which makes the doors difficult to open from the outside), and for some reason this day the doors were not combat locked. So, the General was riding down the road in a vehicle shaking like it was about to come apart at any moment when out-of-the-blue, the rear doors flew open. And what do you know: one week later the company learned that it was getting the requisite number of new and refurbished Humvees. The shipment, which just arrived, means that every platoon has at least two Humvees with working air conditioning, and every platoon has their own up-armored Humvees—a major (or in this case General) improvement.
Posted by Robert Alt | Link to this Entry | Comments [2] | 6/4/2004 12:50 PM
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Good news from Iraq
Charles Krauthammer, using these reflections of John Keegan on how messy the ends of wars tend to be, reminds us that--despite the pessimistic tone of the elitre media--things are going rather well in Iraq. With the establishment of the new transitional government, the first critical steps have been taken. He finds it encouraging.
Iraq’s Foreign Minister is in New York at the U.N. He told the Security Council that Iraq has the right to decide how long U.S.-led troops stay in the country, but sided with Washington in rejecting a departure date and a veto over their actions. Iraq has named a seven member Electoral Commission that will prepare for the elections in January. A Report by the U.N. High Commissioner on Human Rights said the coalition’s invasion of Iraq "removed a government that preyed on the Iraqi people and committed shocking, systematic and criminal violations of human rights."
Posted by Peter Schramm | Link to this Entry | Comments [1] | 6/4/2004 10:04 AM
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Dreary Kerry
John Kerry continues in the land of Nod. The Prowler writes this about a Kerry speech in Florida on Wednesday (via Powerline): Perhaps even Sen. John Kerry is beginning to sense the total lack of enthusiasm for his candidacy. Kerry seemed alarmed by the complete absence of applause, or other audience interaction, he was receiving from a small crowd in Tampa, Florida, on Wednesday.
Kerry was there to accept the endorsement of a national union of emergency first responders, and to hold a "conversation" with local residents about his plans for protecting the nation from bio-terror attacks.
On several occasions, Kerry paused, seemingly expecting applause for his lines. For example, at one point he said, "I will do what I think is best for the country," then waited for applause that only developed after one of his advance staffers began leading a weak round of applause.
His lukewarm reception was so bad that Kerry lost his cool, telling his audience, "I know you don’t want to be here anymore."
"That line actually generated more real cheers," says a bemused Florida Democratic Party official. "If this is the kind of response our campaign is getting elsewhere, we’re dead. This was awful. He was awful."
Posted by Peter Schramm | Link to this Entry | Comments [2] | 6/4/2004 9:16 AM
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The Good old C of E
The good old Church of England continues its slide toward irrelevancy with its never-ending quest to be relevant. According to a squib in today’s Wall Street Journal, a new edition of the prayer book is due out in the fall. Instead of the usual version of Psalm 23 ("Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil"), the new version will read: "Even if a full-scale violent confrontation breaks out I will not be afraid, Lord."
Pathetic.
Posted by Steven Hayward | Link to this Entry | Comments [217] | 6/4/2004 8:28 AM
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Kerry as Bush Sr.
In today’s Boston Globe, Jeff Jacoby points out the similarities, when it comes to foreign policy, between John Kerry and George H.W. Bush. Both, he claims, dismiss international idealism in favor of Realpolitik. He cites the words of Kerry foreign policy adviser Rand Beers, who has contended that the president’s call for democracy in Iraq is "too heroic." Jacoby continues: But "realism" all too often results in a callous stance unworthy of the United States. It is what kept the first President Bush from publicly protesting when China’s Communist government massacred pro-democracy demonstrators in Tiananmen Square 15 years ago this week. It is what led him to send 400,000 troops to rescue Kuwait from Saddam Hussein -- and then order those troops to sit on their hands while Saddam brutally crushed a popular uprising against his murderous regime. All of this calls to mind one of Al Gore’s campaign speeches back in 1992. "If they’re such whizzes at foreign policy," he said then, "why is Saddam Hussein thumbing his nose at the rest of the world?"
Posted by John Moser | Link to this Entry | Comments [2] | 6/3/2004 5:22 PM
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Kerry’s running mate?
Now another Republican,Anthony Zinni (retired Marine general) is being floated for Kerry’s running mate. Now, I don’t think much of Zinni, but the point is this is another Republican being considered/pushed, etc., by Kerry supporters. Pathetic.
Posted by Peter Schramm | Link to this Entry | Comments [7] | 6/3/2004 4:10 PM
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House Divided?
Here’s a piece from last week’s Salon.com (take that for what it’s worth) detailing the rift between former House Majority Leader Dick Armey, and his successor, Tom DeLay. One is an idea-logue, the other a politico. You decide who you’d prefer running the show. 
Posted by Nathaniel Stewart | Link to this Entry | Comments [2] | 6/3/2004 4:01 PM
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Tenet’s replacement
Just a few minutes after I heard that Tenet will be out, I mentioned to Ben and Roger that Rudy Giuliani should replace him. I thought I had better get that on the record because someone just told me that FOX News has just brought the idea up. Good idea.
Posted by Peter Schramm | Link to this Entry | Comments | 6/3/2004 2:34 PM
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Bush at the Air Force Academy
President Bush’s speech at the Air Force Academy was pretty good, I thought. A sample: "In the terrorists’ vision of the world, the Middle East must fall under the rule of radical governments, moderate Arab states must be overthrown, nonbelievers must be expelled from Muslim lands, and the harshest practice of extremist rule must be universally enforced. In this vision, books are burned, terrorists are sheltered, women are whipped, and children are schooled in hatred and murder and suicide.
Our vision is completely different. We believe that every person has a right to think and pray and live in obedience to God and conscience, not in frightened submission to despots. (Applause.) We believe that societies find their greatness by encouraging the creative gifts of their people, not in controlling their lives and feeding their resentments. And we have confidence that people share this vision of dignity and freedom in every culture because liberty is not the invention of Western culture, liberty is the deepest need and hope of all humanity. The vast majority of men and women in Muslim societies reject the domination of extremists like Osama bin Laden. They’re looking to the world’s free nations to support them in their struggle against the violent minority who want to impose a future of darkness across the Middle East. We will not abandon them to the designs of evil men. We will stand with the people of that region as they seek their future in freedom."
Posted by Peter Schramm | Link to this Entry | Comments [15] | 6/3/2004 12:05 PM
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George Tenet is resigning
Drudge, CNN, et al, are announcing that President Bush is announcing that George Tenet is resigning for personal reasons. No details yet. This is the AP paragraph.
Posted by Peter Schramm | Link to this Entry | Comments | 6/3/2004 10:45 AM
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The Chalabi case
Here is Jane Mayer’s long article on Chalabi from the New Yorker; and the articles from yesterday’s New York Times, and today’s. Of course, there is no way for me to know whether or not Chalabi passed cryptographic evidence to the Iranians. Obviously, if he did, that is very serious. Also, if he did, one would think that his source (everyone assumes that it would have to be someone in the Defense Department, but that’s not necessarily true) has to be found and brought to justice. Will it be possible to find him? Not necessarily. The person will not have left a paper trail, I am betting. Besides, there are other possibilities here...It is true that all this gets Chalabi out of our hair (at least temporarily, while the transition is going on) in Iraq. It is useful, I am thinking, for our purposes that he has lost some credibility among the Iraqi leaders. Indeed, I wouldn’t be surprised that some of the now public new Iraqi leadership has been halpful to us in making this public. I once said to a fellow, an especially smart and interesting fellow, that I liked reading spy novels. He said he did not because they were always less interesting than real spy stories. I see what he means. This is complicated and intricate, Iraqi, sorry, Byzantine.
Posted by Peter Schramm | Link to this Entry | Comments [1] | 6/3/2004 10:20 AM
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Golf in Afghanistan
The Kabul Golf Club is back! Clear some landmines, place some oil on the sand (so it won’t blow away) and your set to go. Touching and instrcutive story: "It was like this before, when I used to come here as a kid; just desert and we used to tee off with every shot because there wasn’t any grass," says Rashidzada, an Afghan now living in Dubai. "When I went to Peshawar and I saw a real course with grass, I thought they had made a mistake."
Posted by Peter Schramm | Link to this Entry | Comments [4] | 6/3/2004 9:46 AM
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Howell Raines on Kerry
Howell Raines, the former editor of The New York Times arites a revealing article on the London Guardian. He beats up on Kerry, on Bush, on the free market system, and on America as a whole. Although it is amusing that he bashes Kerry, etc., the fact is that this guy is a real Left Winger. That he was editor of the paper of record is simply amazing.
Posted by Peter Schramm | Link to this Entry | Comments [3] | 6/3/2004 9:14 AM
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Bradbury on Michael Moore
Ray Bradbury, author of "Fahrenheit 451," opines on Michael Moore and his take-off on that title in his Bush-bashing movie, "Fahrenheit 911." Brandbury: "He is a horrible human being. Horrible human!" I always liked Bradbury. (via Instapundit).
Posted by Peter Schramm | Link to this Entry | Comments [2] | 6/3/2004 9:05 AM
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The Berg Video
Lt. Hunt, a Ranger here at Bernstein, told me yesterday that he has a copy of the Berg video, which he watched with one of the interpreters. He confirmed what I had previously heard: the blade was dull, and the beheading is therefore extraordinarly graphic. He claimed that it took about a minute for the masked man--who is believed to be Zarqawi--to completely sever the head, and that Berg was alive and screaming for about half of that time.
Posted by Robert Alt | Link to this Entry | Comments [8] | 6/3/2004 7:58 AM
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IED in Tuz
An IED exploded in the city of Tuz this morning, injuring one Iraqi bystander. There were no Coalition vehicles near the explosion, leading some to believe that the device was likely on a timer.
Posted by Robert Alt | Link to this Entry | Comments [1] | 6/3/2004 7:55 AM
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Kerry Campaigns for the "Onion" Vote
Regular readers of the online satire site The Onion can be forgiven for thinking that life imitated art in Kerry’s campaign today. He was appearing in Florida as a part of his 10-day national security tour, and today the platform had a banner across the front of the stage reading, "Making America Stronger." On either side of the stage were vertical banners; the one on the left read: "Strength," and the one on the right read: "Security."
Gee: Do you think Kerry’s campaign is worried that voters might think Kerry is soft on security issues? Now why would they have ever formed that idea in the first place?
Posted by Steven Hayward | Link to this Entry | Comments | 6/2/2004 8:16 PM
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