Fwd: JUNE 20, 2013

     It's probably the biggest scrap bust in history:  the U.S. is getting rid of a lot of the military stuff it has in Afghanistan.  News reports say about 170 million pounds of stuff have been destroyed so far as the services rush to meet a 2014 withdrawal deadline.  About 7 billion dollars worth of stuff--20% of what's there--won't be shipped back home.  Who needs it?

     What to do with the equipment?  Say, a nice Mine-Resistant Ambush-Protected Vehicle?  Well, the Afghan government forces probably couldn't keep them running. Maybe the Taliban--the bad guys--could, but of course you don't want that.  Tear 'em up or ship 'em out, I guess.  Shipping them isn't easy or cheap, and it's not the vehicle you'd probably want to park in front of your house anyway.  Still, the Pentagon estimates, about 9,000 of the excess 11,000 will be shredded--maybe sent home, but what would become of them then?

    And tearing them up?  Not a simple job.  They're built for wars, built to resist violent explosions.

    Good luck, government.