The loyal opposition is trying to pretend that they are Deeply Concerned ("Deeply Concerned" is a registered trademark of the Loyal Opposition) about properly equipping our troops going to Iraq:
According to recent news reports, the Army lacks thousands of advanced armor kits for Humvees that could protect against roadside bombs, the cause of 70% of American casualties in Iraq. In addition, we understand that existing shortages of trucks and other crucial equipment such as jamming devices, radios and other gear will only be exacerbated by the troop surge. Lodging and logistical support is also reportedly in short supply for the newly deployed forces. We hope these reports are wrong, but we suspect they are not.
Mr. President, it is wrong to deploy troops to the Iraqi theater until they have the up-armored Humvees, equipment, lodging, training and other support required to carry out their mission. We hope you will work with us to make sure that they do. Our troops and their families deserve nothing less.
You'd almost think that the Loyal Opposition wants us to win so badly that they are prepared to spare no expense.
But you'd be wrong. The authors of this letter are, in a word, idiots.
Our troops are the best-trained and best-equipped force to ever roam a battlefield. Period. Full stop. Don't you dare add a "but."
Any "shortage" of equipment arises from the fact that we are continually building and deploying new equipment to replace earlier versions or to counter-act evolving threats. While these dim stars in our Congressional firmament may have difficulty understanding this, our economy can't just make 500,000 items in a day or two once invented. It takes time to produce these items and get them to the troops.
And if we can't deploy troops until Humvees can withstand IEDs, we will never deploy our troops. Ever. Christ almighty, when I was in the Guard, the Humvee I drove had vinyl doors. Vinyl!
Of course, we could avoid this problem by never ever designing new equipment for our troops. Just building the old stuff to replace losses is much easier and would never expose our military to the false charge that they are inadequately equipped.
Or we could refuse to issue new equipment until there is enough for everyone. That would fulfill their kindergarten notion of what is fair, I dare say.
Or we could do what makes friggin' sense and improve our weaponry and deploy it as fast as we can, while understanding that new equipment will trickle in at first before flooding in to equip all troops--and then be out of date since new equipment will start trickling in to replace that.
Are our Congressional leaders really ignorant enough to believe this argument or simply dishonest enough to make it? Either way, they are wrong to make this argument.
How can they be so determined to lose what our troops are winning?
UPDATE: If you want a reality-based description of the situation instead of the full-shrieking weenie mode the Loyal Opposition has given you, read here (tip to Stand-To!).
