NPR radio reports Army Website that details Iraq operational problems

[T Bone]

I was just listening to NPR interview a print reporter who has found an army website that details a lot of the operational problems in Iraq.

One big one was the lack of satellite phones for our small group commanders. To supply them all would cost about $800,000 which has been deemed 'too expensive'. I guess there is no place in the $87$ billion to squeeze that from.

Another problem for Special Forces, although it was reported as a plus for the conventional foces, is that our conventional forces now have good enough capabilities that they can now 'see' our special forces in the field. This was seen as a plus for the conventionals, but the Special Forces are a little concerned as they do not want the conventionals to be able to see them in the field. Why would that be? As long as our conventional forces can distinguish that they are seeing 'our' special forces rather than an Iraqi insurgent who they would shoot at?? It seems to me the concern of the Special Forces must be friendly fire?

Finally the reporter being interviewed was surprised that this was all on the web, and when he approached the army about that in itself they were fairly non-committal about what it might mean other than to say they have always done this and that this form of self-evaluation has always existed.

The reporter or interviewer did not give a url for the actual report on the web. Maybe some enterprising DUer can scour/google it up?

[izzie]

1. $800,000 could be a Christmas extra for some Minor CEO

Now that would be unfair to this mans family.