Why I Don't Like MRAPs

Not to beat a dead horse, but I at least like knowing that my suspicions about rushing MRAPs to the field as a bad idea aren't necessarily unfounded. First, from USA Today:

"Simple solutions to complex problems are inherently attractive and almost always wrong," said Andrew Krepinevich, the center's president. "Prior to making such a substantial commitment to this program, Congress, the Department of Defense and senior military service leaders should carefully consider the array of issues raised in this report."

The report says troops traveling in heavily armored vehicles may be less likely to establish close relationships with local populations. Those relationships are needed to provide tips on insurgents and where bombs may be buried.

Krepinevich and co-author Dakota Wood questioned whether MRAPs would be an expensive, disposable vehicle — a "million-dollar Kleenex" — whose use would be confined to Iraq.

MRAPs also guzzle gas, the report said. They have half the fuel economy of the vehicles they would replace, the Humvees. Greater demand for fuel requires more tanker convoys on the roads.

"Will we provide the enemy with more targets for their IEDs?" Krepinevich said.

The Christian Science Monitor also reported on the CBSA report, adding comments from General Conway.

Marine Commandant Gen. James Conway supports the MRAP and said Monday the program "was the right thing to do." But thinking ahead, the Corps' top general is concerned that his service's traditional missions could be hindered by the costly and heavy truck that is virtually impossible to transport easily. General Conway also believes the truck is contributing to the Corps losing its "expeditionary flavor."

"Can I give a satisfactory answer to what we're going to be doing with those things in five or 10 years? Probably not," he told a group Monday at the Center for a New American Security, a new think tank in Washington.

When the Marines ultimately leave Iraq – which could be sooner rather than later since they occupy one of the most secure areas there – they will effectively be saddled with the trucks if there is no mission that requires them.

"Wrap them in shrink wrap and put them in asphalt somewhere is about the best thing that we can describe at this point," Conway said. "And as expensive as they are, that is probably not a good use of the taxpayers' money."

The CRS report on the FY2008 defense budget also raises another question in legislators' minds. Why is the Army asking for one MRAP to replace every seventh up-armored HMMWV, while the Marine Corps is asking for one MRAP to replace every up-armored HMMWV? There's a strong absence of thought and logic in this procurement decision. Maybe we need to think about this decision in in a cold, calm manner before buying tens of thousands more MRAPs.

Comments

[DJ Elliott]

I still think this program is a backdoor to motorize the Iraqi Army. Donations of vehicles we do not want at the end of day...