Excuse my frustration…

I know it seems I’m on a roll, stuck on one subject. It just so happens the subject is about something dear to my heart — my son staying alive.

Maybe I should climb into a hole so I don’t see this stuff. Perhaps it is the “new car syndrome” that is the culprit. You know how you never see a particular car you’re thinking of buying on the street until you buy one and then they are everywhere? So it is with Iraq and my son.

I just saw this: Army Won’t Field Rifle Deemed Superior to M4. This grabbed my attention for two reasons — the Army not doing something for the good of it’s soldiers and the M4. My son uses the M4. His life depends on it, literally. So, I read the article.

The compact M4 carbine — a shortened version of the M16 — that is now standard issue for most Army troops, some Marines and other specialized units is facing increased criticism because of its tendency to malfunction with even the minutest exposure to the elements.

“Malfunction with even the minutest exposure to the elements?” We’re talking about the desert, for heaven’s sake! Temperatures can range from the teens to 130, sand is everywhere and wind puts it into everything. If these weapons malfunction in “the minutest exposure to the elements,” just what are they supposed to do in a place like Iraq?

Quite telling was this:

Some ground communities, including special operations forces, have begun to sideline the M4 in favor of newer, gas-piston operated variants such as the Heckler & Koch-manufactured 416 and the FNH-built Special Operations Forces Combat Assault Rifle, or SCAR.

In case you don’t know, the “special operations forces” are those fellows who are most in harms way. They go by a few other names, like “Rangers,” Green Berets” and “Delta Force.” These are the best of the best. They are put in the worst of situations. If their guns don’t work, they die. They are refusing to use the M4.

The “official” response:

An Army spokeswoman for Program Executive Office Soldier, based at Fort Belvoir, Va., said in a statement the Army isn’t buying into SOF’s [Special Operation Force] argument.

…the Army is unwilling to buy what the special operations community believes is a clearly superior system and is still spending money looking for another technology while Soldiers use what many say is an inferior weapon in harsh combat conditions.

The response from some vets has been interesting, predictable, and shared by this father:

• Just put their butts behind one during times that it needs to not jam. Let them have to pull SPORTS on the damn thing under pressure!

• Nothing is too good for our troops…and nothing is what they will get!!!!!

• Perhaps it would be helpful to send R&D on a 6 week field trip so they can see for themselves how it is in the “Real World” and not an office

Thanks for letting me rant!

“Natural “Idiots

Don’t you just love seeing the success of people who think they have it all figured out?

EPHRATA, Wash. —  Most of a group of 20 endangered rabbits that were reintroduced to the wild with great fanfare last month have been killed by predators, state officials said.

Only four of the rabbits released on March 13 remained at the Sagebrush Flat Wildlife Area as of Tuesday, said David Hays, pygmy rabbit coordinator for the state Department of Fish and Wildlife.

Predators Promptly Scarf Up Endangered Rabbits Reintroduced Into Washington Wildlife Area Thursday, April 12, 2007 Associated Press

Appears that someone forgot to take into account the presence of coyotes, hawks and owls. Seems these “predators” had quite a rabbit barbeque. What’s especially sick is that many of these cuddly pygmy bunnies that would fit in the palm of your hand were fitted with GPS monitors. As they were being carried of for supper by a hawk, some confused intern back in the monitoring room was probably saying: “Look, the bunny is flying!”

Did I mention that this was a “multimillion dollar” project for the 20 bunnies? Did anyone bother to consider that animals raised in captivity are unable to respond naturally in the wild to protect themselves?

These are the same people who are running our government, creating our laws and are in charge of our foreign policy. Kind of scary, isn’t it.

Gives a whole new meaning to Paul’s injunction to pray for the leaders of the country in 1 Timothy 2:2, doesn’t it?