Finding vehicle doors at a Baghdad metal dealer’s shop a bad sign to GIs

[unhappycamper]

Soldiers from Company B, 2nd Battalion, 30th Infantry Regiment survey a collection of American vehicle parts found at a scrap yard in eastern Baghdad. The soldiers said the Humvee armor could be used by militia to assess the strength of the plating.


Finding vehicle doors at a Baghdad metal dealer’s shop a bad sign to GIs
By Michael Gisick, Stars and Stripes
Mideast edition, Friday, May 30, 2008

BAGHDAD — Sgt. 1st Class Joseph Gaskin isn’t exactly known for mincing words, and he’s got little patience for this Iraqi scrap metal dealer.

"I paid a lot of money for that stuff," the scrap dealer ventures quietly, gesturing at the plates of U.S. Humvee armor being confiscated from his yard, which he says he bought at a dump outside a nearby U.S. base.

"I don’t give a flying (expletive) how much you paid for it," Gaskin shoots back, stepping forward and jabbing a finger at the much shorter man. "Either you’re going to go to jail or you’re going to help us load it in our trailer."

The armor, the soldiers say, might be used by militiamen to practice attacks or assess the strength of the plating.

Another platoon had found four complete uparmored Humvee doors on a prior visit, but hadn’t brought along a trailer to carry them away. The doors are gone now, and Gaskin wants to know where.


Rest of article at: http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=55190

[jaxx]

1. "he bought at a dump outside a nearby U.S. base"

Who sold it to him? Is it fair game when it hits the dump? Is the US selling off their junk?

[FreakinDJ]

2. Contractors dumping whole vehicles into landfill

the waste in Iraq is astronomical and this time it came back to bite the solders.

Its not the Iraqi junk dealer's fault - its the contractor's fault

[jaxx]

3. Yes, I agree.

Bottom line is why the hell is the US allowing this stuff to be sold by their "contractors"? Is it like selling off the excess military stuff to anybody who would buy it?

[FreakinDJ]

4. Why didn't the US prosecute Halliburton for selling Nuke detonators

would be a better question

[jaxx]

5. That's an easy one.

Halliburton, et al, is BushCo protected.

They're the only ones who can do the job, ya know. :sarcasm: