MRAP Giveaway: Pentagon

choi

Bob Tita, Free Ride: 13,000 Used Military Trucks; The Pentagon is giving away mine-resistant, ambush-protected trucks that have been used in Afghanistan and Iraq. Wall Street Journal, Jan 23, 2014.
online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB20001424052702304856504579336863929250456

Quote:

"'We've notified our friends and allies that we have MRAPs available and if they want them they can have them,' says Alan Estevez, deputy undersecretary of defense for acquisitions, technology and logistics. * * * Unclaimed trucks are probably destined for the scrap heap * * * military planners want more-versatile vehicles that can be deployed quickly as troop levels [in those two countries] decrease. A full-size MRAP (pronounced EM-rap, of course) weighs about 40,000 pounds, stands 10 feet tall and costs the Pentagon about $500,000 new.

"Interest from foreign militaries has been tepid. But they are a hit with stateside police agencies. Almost 200 trucks have been distributed to police departments since August and requests are pending for an additional 750 trucks. The vehicles, many of which feature machine-gun turrets, are off-limits to private citizens and businesses.

My comment: There is no need to read the rest.