That was way back before Gulf War I...

I remember way back then asking why they weren't built with thicker steel...Being a novice, I thought they would actually be designed to be shot at...They didn't look like they offered any protection from bullets, and other projectiles at all.

I think that when they were originally designed, the powers that made such decisions were concerned more with keeping the cost down than safety of soldiers...But can you blame them? Back then there was little money to work with, and not much willingness in the Congress to spend more on defense...Let alone the afterthought known as the Humvey...

I wonder how many lives would have been saved if the Gov't was willing to spend $500-600 additional money on each unit for thicker steel...But then at what point would the Humvey become a tank? And even then, tanks can be destroyed by the proper ordinance. And don't forget that there is probably some in congress who would demand that the Humvey meet some sort of MPG standard that would limit the amount of steel that can be used in any design.

Oh well, I'm glad Rumsfield is the one sitting on the hot seat instead of some idiot appointee of President Gore. At least I can trust Rumsfield to make the decision more on troop safety than on MPG standards.

Scott Evil