EnDash

I cannot imagine how Obama so suddenly became an expert on military vehicles and ordnance -- except thru the information that must have been provided by his rather motley crew of advisers.

delete double

The msm will always look the other way regarding Obama and outright BS from his mouth, they will spin it for him no matter what.

I heard somewhere the other day he is thinking of picking some Gen. to run with him...can't remember his name at the moment, but it would figure now wouldn't it?

Obama said it was easier for the troops to capture weapons from Taliban
militants than it was "to get properly equipped by our current
commander in chief," President George W. Bush.

Excuse me, Sen. Obama, when did it become the responsibility of the President to order supplies to equip the troops?

Or are you insinuating that he told the Defense Department: Just send them whatever you have lying around; they don't need anything too fancy. ??

Obama said it was easier for the troops to capture weapons from Taliban militants than it was "to get properly equipped by our current commander in chief," President George W. Bush.

"I find that account pretty hard to imagine," Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman told reporters.

Totally concur with Mr Whitman.  The last time I deployed (late 2004) I had to carry FOUR duffle bags away from the Central issue facility (CIF) at Fort Bliss Texas on my way to my flight across the pond to the big sandbox.

Afraid of being labled as not supporting the troops, we had to make multiple trips to the bus carrying such odds and ends of dubious value as:

• Arctic Boots
• Complete arctic sleeping bag set with waterproof cover.
• Two pair of desert boots
• Four complete desert uniforms
• Four pairs of polypropylene long johns.
• Moquito nets with bar and covering.
• Mosquito repellent detergent.
• chemical protective mask with three filters (I challenge anyone to have used up a single mask filter)
• Shelter half (I challenge anyone to be actually living under a shelter half in theater.)
• I was issued an M9 9mm pistol and as many magazines and ammunition as I could carry.  (Its good to be a staff wonk)

In fact, 2 of the duffle bags were filled with stuff I knew I would not need and would just be a burden and were left back in the states.

Short answer, no one that deployed with us to either Afghnistan nor Iraq went un-armed, nor with too little gear.

I'm waiting for the debates on military issues between these two. Obama will have to fall back on hope and then change and then back to hoping for change and then a fast flip to changing hope etc. -- I'm not so sure it's going to be easy for McCain to make any points with the 1/2 + of the American electorate who seem content to follow this Jim Jones figure. 

Obama said it was easier for the troops to capture weapons from Taliban militants than it was "to get properly equipped by our current commander in chief," President George W. Bush.

Obama is a stupid leftists. He knows nothing about how the military works and could care less. He was certain when he uttered the above that the drive bys would echo it as if it was gospel.

Meanwhile, the principle weapon of the enemy is the AK-47. It is without doubt a piece of crap. Beyond 50 meters, there is much doubt about hitting what you are aiming at. The reason why it is so popular throughout the world is that it is very cheap to make. It is manufactured from stamped parts as opposed to machined parts - a more expensive process requiring expensive tooling and skilled labor. There is just no comparison between it and the several variants used by our armed forces, the M-16 and the M-4 Carbine especially when fitted with the PAQ-4 Infrared Sight and/or the M68 CQB sight.

Also, for anyone that has been in combat or for that matter had shots fired around them they know that the AK-47 and the M-16 make distinctive sounds when fired. In conventional infantry units that do not jointly engage the enemy with host nation counterparts (who in both Iraq and Afghanistan also carry the AK-47), a good way to get killed by friendly fire is to fire an enemy's weapon while on your side of the "line." Instinctive reaction is what keeps soldiers alive. The instinct is to seek cover, and then fire in the direction of the enemy. This takes place in fractions of seconds, often without actually seeing, but reacting to the enemy fire by returning fire in the direction of the rapports. In other words, if you "sound" like the enemy you're going to be fired upon.

A movie that illustrates the above is the "Big Red One." It is about the fortunes of a single infantry squad during WWII. It makes the above point in film better than I can explain it in words.

What utterly complicates our combat fighting men's situation in Iraq and Afghanistan is that most often there are host nation counterparts, if not "mixed in", in close proximity to our troops and they carry the same weapon as the enemy - the AK-47. This slows reaction time while one sorts out who is firing - enemy or host nation counterpart. It is a wonder that more friendly fire casualties have not taken place.

I found this over at Blackfive, by one of my favorites there, Deebow.

He very clearly throws the BS Flag on B. Hussein's little lie the other day about equipment (or rather, the lack thereof). 

An interesting read, to say the least.

I get the feeling that military members don't think too highly of Obama.  Hmmm...go figure.  How would you like to have an idiot like that have full control of your life?  Not me.  

David Gregory, do you know which damn network you lie for? ~ Uncle Jimbo, @Blackfive