Report: Israel to Supply Armored Vehicles to U.S. Marines in Iraq

[Danny]

I understand about the over-reliance on equipment, and I know that equipment never won a war. I have had discussions with others on the need for tactical solutions to snipers and other threats, one such solution being the sensible and even brilliant one of satellite patrols. But tactics are not a complete answer either. And just because body armor cannot solve everything, tactics can't, and [fill in the blank here for other things that will not be a complete solution]. But this truth is not a reason for not trying to field the best equipment. If a SAPI plate saves a single life (and they have saved many), then it makes sense to wear them. And if the Dragon Skin body armor is better than the MTV, then we should be pushing it. Similarly, while this new vehicle is still probably susceptible to being picked up and thrown around by a large IED (just like the Abrams are), if it can withstand some of the IEDs that HMMWVs cannot, then we should be pushing it. I don't think we can see things in absolute terms here. It is a matter of degrees and doing the best we can. No?

[120mm]

Between the convoluted acquisition system and the strange behavior of the Dragon Skin people, I don't think we will ever know if Dragon Skin is better than the plates. Or at least 1000% better, as it is 1000 times as expensive.

[goesh]

I hope the Corps can go through with the acquisitions of the Golan but I won't be shocked if it doesn't happen. Fat-cats on the prowl still have alot of clout and pull when it comes to profit margins from war. I bet the fat-cat margin is 40% on this war and that's probably conservative. Call it the high price of patriotism, sarcasm intended. My previous post in this thread about IDF breaking away from a 57 year old logistical tradition of their home-grown providers serving up "greasy food" to their troops is not only innovative on their part, it is a radical departure from the normative. Given the food ethos of Jewish culture, I would wager heavily there is more of an uproar over the quality of food IDF troops have than there is uproar here at home amongst civilians over the quality of medical care returning troops from Iraq have. In that respect, I will wager heavily that the new IDF rations will be sustained and I will wager heavily that the the Corps won't be acquiring many of the Golans. Fat-catting aside, it would hardly be PC for troops in Iraq to be using anything made by Jews, now would it? We wouldn't want to incite the Iranians or the insurgents, would we?