Special laser to reduce Iraqi civilian deaths also falls on deaf ears as MRAP did.

Cross posted from Sancho Press. http://sanchopress.com/

We had an article contributed two days ago on Sancho Press about investigations being launched about the delay since 2005 of special vehicles that cost hundreds of our militaries lives. http://sanchopress.com/showDia…

In addition to the MRAP requests being ignored the same individual who has filed for whistle blower status reports that a special laser to save Iraqi civilian lives was delayed despite requests from the field.

Marines had been requesting since 2005 that they receive a special laser that diverts drivers from checkpoints who had not adhered to requests to stop which resulted in our troops firing on them.

Marines on the front lines sought the tool, known as a Compact High Power Laser Dazzler, but stateside acquisition officials did not deliver it, a civilian Marine Corps official said. A less capable laser was eventually sent, but delays of nearly 18 months may have led to an untold number of Iraqi civilian casualties, according to allegations by the official, an internal critic whose claims are being investigated.

The deaths and injuries occurred when civilians mistaken as the enemy got too close to guarded areas and U.S. troops lacked a nondeadly way of forcing them away, according to the official. The Iraqi government has complained about such incidents in the past.

The dazzler emits a powerful stream of green light that stops or redirects oncoming traffic by temporarily impairing the driver’s vision. Without it, troops have to open fire when warning signals are ignored or not seen.

Of course, this may not be as pressing an issue to many Americans as this involves the death of Iraqi civilians whose lives are of course less important than those of our troops caused by the lack of MRAP’s (sarcasm). The hundreds of Iraqi families that were devastated by the deaths of their loved ones for the lack of an $8000 laser is reprehensible on the part of American military leaders delay.  

Think about the impact on the minds of the American soldiers who shot clearly innocent Iraqi civilians because of the civilians lack of noticing or understanding the heeds to stop prior to coming too close to check points. Just another example of the type of incidents that haunt military personnel for years to come (PTSD-?).

For those who don’t think these lasers to be needed or usefull or effective:

Gayl completed a case study on the Compact High Power Laser Dazzler on Feb. 14. In it, he notes that Marines stationed in western Iraq filed an urgent request for the tool in June 2005. And he said that the 2005 request and subsequent calls for the dazzler were not met.

“The urgency of the operational need for dazzlers was not debatable, since the tragedies it was designed to mitigate had already been experienced,” Gayl wrote.

Marines in Iraq became so frustrated at the delays they bypassed normal acquisition procedures and used money from their own budget to buy 28 of the dazzlers directly from LE Systems, a small company in Hartford, Conn., according to Gayl. The dazzlers cost about $8,000 each.

It is not common to bypass normal acquisition procedures in the military and use money from their own budget.

But because the lasers had not passed a safety review process, stateside authorities barred the Marines from using them, his report states. There were also questions raised about whether the LE Systems could build sufficient numbers of the dazzlers. LE Systems has said it could meet the demand.

In January 2007, nearly 18 months after the first request, Gayl said the Marines received a less capable laser warning device built by a different company, B.E. Meyers of Redmond, Wash.

Gen. James Conway, the Marine Corps commandant, told members of Congress in July 2007 that a “great deal of effort was made” to meet the specific request for the dazzler from LE Systems. The B.E. Meyers laser, he added, has been well received by troops in Iraq.

Barred from using them even though they were effective enough to bypass normal procurement procedures.

Sound familiar — the military said there were questions about the companies ability to produce them in sufficient numbers even though the company said they could. Kinda like the MRAP’s that the Marine higher ups who in 2005 said could not be produced quickly by civilian contractors. When Gates demanded them in May 07, the contractors were producing 1,000 a month within 6 months.

In January 2007, nearly 18 months after the first request, Gayl said the Marines received a less capable laser warning device built by a different company, B.E. Meyers of Redmond, Wash.

Gen. James Conway, the Marine Corps commandant, told members of Congress in July 2007 that a “great deal of effort was made” to meet the specific request for the dazzler from LE Systems. The B.E. Meyers laser, he added, has been well received by troops in Iraq.

I wonder what the difference in price was between the “less capable” laser was than the one from LE Systems (maybe even more expensive?). I also wonder if some kind of “personal” relationships  between those involved in procurement had anything to do with the purchases being made from B.E. Myers “less capable” laser.

I’m sure that once the investigations are completed, if all is true, some heads will really roll (sarcasm). At best, some higer ups will “choose” to retire on full pension and benefits. Ahh, the wonderful upper management of the military.