Ethics

Marines Failed to Protect Soldiers

By Ed Brayton

A new Pentagon report shows that the Marines failed to provide equipment that could have protected the troops from IEDs:

The U.S. Marine Corps knew of the threat posed by roadside bombs before the start of the Iraq war, yet did nothing to buy protective vehicles for troops, according to a report to be released by the Pentagon.

Additionally, Marine leaders in 2005 decided to buy up-armored, or reinforced, Humvees instead of Mine Resistant Ambush-Protected vehicles to shield troops in Iraq from mines and other explosives -- a decision that could have cost lives, according to the report obtained Tuesday by CNN.

Full post as published by Dispatches from the Culture Wars on December 12, 2008 (boomark / email).