"We
cannot let the strongest armed forces in the world be weakened.
America's greatest military strength has always been the courageous,
talented men and women whose love of country and devotion to service
lead them to attempt and achieve the impossible everyday. We must
resolve
that America's leaders will never let them down.
"Yet
we hear reports that - in dangerous parts of Iraq - our helicopters
are flying missions without the best available anti-missile systems.
"At
the same time, un-armored Humvees are falling victim to road-side bombs
and small-arms fire. The Bush Administration waited through month
after month of ambushes and only acted to start manufacturing armored
door kits three months ago.
"The
Army's 428th Transportation Company, headquartered in Jefferson City,
Missouri, shipped out to Iraq two weeks ago. They had to ask local
businesses to donate the steel to armor their vehicles. When the Bush
Administration heard about this, their response wasn't `never again.'
It was `good idea' - they emailed instructions to other units letting
them know how they could use homemade armor to protect their own Humvees
from attacks. I believe our soldiers deserve better.
"Even
more shocking, tens of thousands of other troops arrived in Iraq to
find that - with danger around every corner - there wasn't
enough body armor to protect them. Many of their families on the homefront
- mothers and fathers, husbands and wives and children - were forced
to raise the money to buy it for them. They went to their neighbors for
donations - and dipped into their savings to give their sons and daughters
the equipment to save their lives - which the Army should be providing.
Last month, a young newlywed in Virginia even gave her husband body armor
for Valentine's Day as he prepared to ship out to Iraq.
"Families
should be sending pictures and care packages to Iraq - and the Department
of Defense should be sending the body armor. Today,
I call on President Bush to support a law now in Congress to reimburse
each and every family who had to buy the body armor this Administration
failed to provide. This month, I will also be introducing a Military
Family Bill of Rights to prevent anything like this from ever happening
again.
"What
we face isn't a question of the budget; it's a question of priorities
and values. This Administration has given billions to Halliburton
and requested 82 million dollars to protect Iraq's 36 miles of coast
line. But they call this basic body armor a `non-priority' item.
(as
seen on ESCHATON)
