Pentagon Requests $1.3 Billion for Armored Vehicles
This article is from the archive of The New York Sun before the launch of its new website in 2022. The Sun has neither altered nor updated such articles but will seek to correct any errors, mis-categorizations or other problems introduced during transfer.
WASHINGTON — Defense Secretary Gates asked Congress yesterday for permission to shift as much as $1.3 billion from other military programs to speed up the purchase of bomb-resistant vehicles for troops in Iraq.
According to military officials, the Army would like to reallocate about $800 million, and the Marines want roughly $500 million, to buy the Mine-Resistant, Ambush-Protected vehicles that have been saving lives in roadside bomb attacks.
Mr. Gates is expected to go to Capitol Hill with senior Army and Marine leaders to formally request that the money be reprogrammed, the officials said on condition of anonymity because the meeting has not yet taken place.
Military officials said the shift in funds would not affect any day-to-day war spending or the troops in battle.
The Pentagon has come under fire in recent months, particularly from Congress, for perceived delays in getting the armored vehicles to the troops. Mr. Gates has said that getting more of the armored vehicles to the troops is a top priority. And he has demanded an accelerated effort to get them to Iraq in large numbers.
