Via Bryan Preston at Hot Air:
On May 17, NBC reported a blockbuster exclusive on the superiority of Dragon Skin body armor over Interceptor, the body armor that the US Army issues to soldiers in combat zones. But NBC’s story has a major flaw: It’s wrong about nearly everything.
Watch the latest installment of Hot Air's Vent and actually hear an Army official, Brigadier General Mark Brown, conclude that NBC News possibly committed "emotional terrorism" after airing an "exclusive" segment on body armor. The segment, aired by NBC senior correspondent Lisa Myers, was "simply bogus," concludes Preston.




















Editor at Large
Comments Policy
When Does Lisa Myers Apologize?
July 4, 2007 - 11:12 ET by P.J. GladnickSo when does Lisa Myers and NBC News APOLOGIZE for their phony report? This rates up there with the PHONY NBC Dateline report about the exploding truck gas tanks. Actually this phony story was even worse in its effects on the public.
They don't apologize. The
July 4, 2007 - 19:14 ET by motherbeltThey don't apologize. The tactic is to get the scoop, get the story out , and let it lie there. They get their sensationalism, and by the time they have to issue a retraction, not nearly the number of people are paying attention as saw the erroneous story in the first place.
It won't happen but I would l
July 4, 2007 - 11:13 ET by jcrapes4It won't happen but I would love if a group of military families sued NBC for this report. Stating that this false report caused them undo emotional stress.
Without Consequence
July 4, 2007 - 11:18 ET by allanfQuestion for the group. Who would pay a higher price?
(a) A military officer who staged a test?
(b) An NBC News "journalist" who staged a test?
That's a rhetorical questio
July 4, 2007 - 19:14 ET by AtillaKahunaThat's a rhetorical question, right?
Kahuna
I think the key word in the v
July 4, 2007 - 11:30 ET by ThisnThatI think the key word in the video is "undermine". The General has placed a serious charge against NBC. I think the United States needs to bring formal criminal charges against the network. There clearly is no justification for this, except to undermine the war against terror.
Who at NBC is diabolical enough to sit around coming up with these schemes? And why do they get away with it?
I am waiting on NBC's comeback. Let's see them begin to defend themselves.
Posted Link To Vent On MSNBC
July 4, 2007 - 11:32 ET by P.J. GladnickThis is probably the most important exposure of a phony MSM story in a long time. I posted a link over at MSNBC to the Hot Air Vent. You can read the post HERE.
One more glaring example that
July 4, 2007 - 11:42 ET by ArchConservativeOne more glaring example that the liberals and the MSM are against the troops, against the mission, and for the terrorists. Do you really think that during WWII the newsreels would show Americans troops being killed by the enemy????
Where would we be without the agitators of the world attaching the electrodes of knowledge to the nipples of ignorance?
Arch, you for to add one more
July 4, 2007 - 13:25 ET by Sonny LykosArch, you for to add one more that the MSM are "against" - the republic of America, and one more thing the MSM are "for" - Socialism.
Would my contention not explain why they do as they do?
Make Them
July 4, 2007 - 12:20 ET by dwillmoreMake them wear Dragon Skin when they are in a combat zone.
If Congress wants to talk about taking away public licenses with the fairness doctrine then we should be able to take away licenses for error, intent, and traitorous behaiviour.
The Pentagon should ban NBC
July 4, 2007 - 14:33 ET by c5thenThe Pentagon needs to issue a ban starting immediately for all NBC affiliated reportes and journalists. This report should be cited as the "straw that broke the camels back" and has resulted in NBC being classified as a security threat to the United States military.
The day that "politician" became a career choice is the day we started losing the Republic
NBC News = Corrupt Journalism
July 4, 2007 - 15:32 ET by AntiMediaNBC News = Corrupt Journalism.
except, in this case, there i
July 4, 2007 - 15:35 ET by mawendtexcept, in this case, there is enough to question the choice of Interceptor over Dragonskin. even if NBC producers are a commonly liars when it comes to their investigaive journalism, even a liar gets it right sometimes. this thread has an intyeresting cut from the discovery channel about Dragonskin - and i've never seen anything like it for body armor, period.
http://agw.bombs-away.net/showthread.php?p=838430
i think in this age of corruption, opportunism, and abuse within contracts, the choice of body armor and the tests should be revisted. i don't know the full controls put onthe military testing, or what type of stress they placed the body armor under... something just smells on this one. maw
Good link. I think I detect
July 4, 2007 - 16:37 ET by sarcasmoGood link. I think I detected a whiff somewhere between the big political donations and the stopped test, with a brief but smelly pitstop at the 'not invented here' post. This kind of product demands continual development, which is in constant conflict with low cost, but in this case I think it might be worth a closer look.
JMR
Um... sorry, but the U.S. A
July 4, 2007 - 18:46 ET by AJSHOPEUm... sorry, but the U.S. Army has video evidence of tests where Dragon Skin is shot with a round at a certain angle and it's like there is no body armor there at all.
One would think they'd rele
July 5, 2007 - 09:23 ET by sarcasmoOne would think they'd release it, then. I'm sure development of this stuff is all about compromises, and therefore tests should be as "open" and nonpolitical as possible, because some tests' results might depend on who's testing otherwise, especially with this kind of money at stake. That means completing the tests, IMO.
JMR
i was reading a bit more abou
July 5, 2007 - 13:27 ET by mawendti was reading a bit more about the army tests the last couple of nights, and although it has been touted that Dragonskin failed at certain angle shots, so did the competition, including Inteceptor.
Dragonskin's big failure was when the plates, which are held by glue, were heated up 150+ degrees (as well as an additional test when submerged in deisel fuel) - caused the glue to fail, and the plates to fall, essentially dropping the armor to the belly area leaving the torso completely unprotected.
however, it appears in every other area Dragonskin excelled over all competitors, including Interceptor. As far as the weight goes, Dragonskin is only three or four pounds heavier, not 20+, for the same armor rating, class III and class IV protection.
i'm neither a salesman or promoter of any body armor - i only know a bit about the kevlar plate stuff i wore in the army. i observe this, however - Interceptor can not sustain the trial put through the Dragonskin on that video. my observation is that the military procurers, and by extension testers, appear to have made an advanced, biased decision before full trial completion. if they did not, they sure suck at 'splainin themselves to their employers - the United States citizens who pay them.
i also am reminded of the M16 trials, failures, problems, etc that occurred in the choice, development, and deployment. it was riddled with contract fraud and politics that took years to finally create the version we have now. the crusader and osprey are other programs that had problems, tied to contracts, politics, and big money. not everything DOD or the military does is wrong or corrupt. i do think that these kind of projects need to have more transparency, and adequate explanation for what they do and why, particularly when it involves billions of dollars and soldiers survivability. thats all. maw
I wish someone would post the
July 4, 2007 - 17:48 ET by m4ster chiefI wish someone would post the dialog of the video report, or at least a brief description. Some of us are still on dialup and therefore can't watch video online.
Sunrise at sea; a breeze across the deck, salty spray tickles the face, the aroma of fresh coffee, stack gas, and haze-gray paint is in the air. Another Navy day aboard ship as a Navy Chief...the perfect life!
this is a large version of a
July 5, 2007 - 01:29 ET by PKthis is a large version of a pretty standard scam.
somebody in government buys about the best thing there is available to do a certain task.
somebody who makes a competing thing but lost the contract competition goes to someone (high level officials, congress critters, media) to get something stirred up and maybe get a partial order.
the users (in this case the soldiers) figure out pretty quick just which brand of thing they want and the contracts are modified accordingly.
quite often the also ran stuff winds up sitting in some warehouse for 50-75 years before it is disposed of.
happens all of the time.
C
Because of the NBC's airing o
July 5, 2007 - 09:17 ET by ding7777Because of the NBC's airing of the body armor, the Army is now soliciting " for a new Small Arms Protective Insert to be worn with Interceptor body armor and separate Flexible Small Arms Protective Vests" and will conduct a side-by-side test of Interceptor, the new vest, and Dragon Skin. This is something the Army should have done before instead of just outright banning the Dragon Skin.
If you go to Hot Air and view
July 5, 2007 - 12:31 ET by jdhawkIf you go to Hot Air and view the video of the interview with BG Brown you wouldn't make such idiotic remarks dufus . . . er . . . ding.
BG Brown stated that they did test Dragon Skin and found it not only did not stop a 9mm round, but weighs more than twice as much as the Interceptor. Further the Dragon Skin "inventor" claims to have been a colonel in the Marine Corps - a fact that the Marine Corps couldn't verify - in other words he is lying.
By the way, the OTV was tested for 9mm round protection and then, the OTV with the SAPI inserts was tested for 7.62x51mm round protection.
Had NBC really been interested in assuring that our combatants are getting the best available armor, they would have talked about E-SAPI and the new Marine Corps OTV that is being fielded. They would have gone into such matters as weight versus protection and the importance of agile movement sometimes being more important than protection when in combat.
Instead, NBC needless created doubt in the minds of our warriors and trepidation by their loved ones that they weren't getting the best protection that is available. Nevertheless, I am sure there will be Peabody award all around for their heinous "reporting."
jdhawk - Exactly what part of
July 5, 2007 - 23:36 ET by ding7777jdhawk - Exactly what part of my factual post is idiotic?
Don't everybody accept everyt
July 7, 2007 - 13:50 ET by fosstenDon't everybody accept everything they hear. Defense Review did a comparison between Interceptor and Dragon Skin and here's what they found.
They say that Dragon Skin is SUPERIOR to Interceptor by a long shot.
Not only that, but FutureWeapons did a show on Dragon Skin and it passed all the tests with flying colors.
Does the Emperor have no clothes?