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Interesting article
Here is an interesting article about the shortage of armor that the troops are experiencing in Iraq.
Armor Shortage |
#2
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Re: Interesting article
I found the list of the number of troops in Iraq interesting:
United States 130,000 Britain 12,000 Albania 70 Australia 1,000 Azerbaijan 150 Bulgaria 470 Czech Rep. 92 Denmark 496 Dominican Rep. 300 El Salvador 360 Estonia 55 Georgia 70 Honduras 370 Hungary 300 Italy 3,000 Japan 250 (750 on the way) Kazakhstan 25 Latvia 120 Lithuania 105 Macedonia 28 Moldova 25 Mongolia 180 Netherlands 1,100 New Zealand 60 Nicaragua 230 Norway 150 Philippines 95 (175 on the way) Poland 2,400 Portugal 130 Romania 400 Singapore 200 Slovakia 69 (120 on the way) South Korea 675 (3,000 on the way) Spain 1,300 Thailand 443 (30 on the way) Ukraine 2,000 So we have about 82% of the total troops in the "coalition." |
#3
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Re: Interesting article
82% is a much lower % than I thought we had. I'd have guessed in the low 90's.
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#4
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Re: Interesting article
Frankly, I had no idea that there were 30-odd countries in the "coalition," including two or three countries with significant islamic populations.
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#5
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Re: Interesting article
I'm including Britain in the 18%. Britain and the U.S. combined are about 90%.
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#6
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Re: Interesting article
When you look at the percentage doing typical soldier-things, being in harm's way and handling volatile situations on the ground in the key urban areas, I'm guessing it's a lot higher than 90%. I think most of those troops from the smaller nations are really just symbolic, guys sitting around doing clerical or maintenance work in the more secure areas.
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#7
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Re: Interesting article
[ QUOTE ]
I'm including Britain in the 18%. Britain and the U.S. combined are about 90%. [/ QUOTE ] Are you implying Britain is somehow part of the US? I thought you were the history buff Andy. Don't you remember reading about a little uprising we call The American Revolution? [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img] Jimbo |
#8
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Re: Interesting article
I'm probably one of the oldest posters here, but even I don't remember the American Revolution.
I am, however, going to see Simon and Garfunkle soon. That dates me plenty, thank you. [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img] |
#9
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Re: Interesting article
Thanks Andy for making everyone focus on something other than what the article said. I really think the army and the marines are being blasted because of the poor planning of the defense department.
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#10
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Re: Interesting article
I didn't realize I had the power to make "everyone" focus on something. I was simply pointing out something I found interesting.
So, to the article: It's beyond me that anyone cannot now understand that the inamtes are running the asylum. From the article: "For the Bush administration it has been a mantra, one the president intones repeatedly: America's troops will get whatever they need to do the job. But as Iraq's liberation has turned into a daily grind of low-intensity combat—and Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld grudgingly raises troop levels—many soldiers who are there say the Pentagon is failing to protect them with the best technology America has to offer. A breakdown of the casualty figures suggests that many U.S. deaths and wounds in Iraq simply did not need to occur. According to an unofficial study by a defense consultant that is now circulating through the Army, of a total of 789 Coalition deaths as of April 15 (686 of them Americans), 142 were killed by land mines or improvised explosive devices, while 48 others died in rocket-propelled-grenade attacks. Almost all those soldiers were killed while in unprotected vehicles, which means that perhaps one in four of those killed in combat in Iraq might be alive if they had had stronger armor around them, the study suggested. Thousands more who were unprotected have suffered grievous wounds, such as the loss of limbs. [emphasis added] But the Pentagon has yet to come to grips with its armor crisis—or its human cost." Lies, secrecy, poor planning. The hallmarks of the Bush administration. Time for a change. |
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