Soldiers Go To War With The Armor They Have, Not The Armor They Want

Speaking of being all alone...

With Rumsfeld and the Pentagon MIA, our soldiers are taking it upon themselves to improve the armor (and adding other detection devices, etc) on their humvees to protect themselves from roadside bombs:
AP Enterprise: Soldiers Beef Up Humvees (AP)

Soldiers exposed to Iraq's increasingly lethal roadside bombs, which can rip through armored Humvees, are drawing on wartime experience and stateside expertise to protect their vehicles with stronger armor and thermal detection cameras.

The upgrades are being done by individual soldiers and units as the Pentagon decides how Humvees should be changed, and follow public criticism of the Bush administration for not armoring all Humvees ahead of the war...

This speaks volumes of the resourcefulness of our troops and the apathy of their leaders in Washington.

They're not placing blame, though, and their humility on this issue is almost frustrating-

Maj. Tom Bryant, the brigade spokesman, said the armor program is not a reaction to faulty equipment but a response to change on the battlefield.

"We're not interested in creating controversy," he said. "It's about saving soldiers lives."

Mr. Rumsfeld, is that something you're interested in as well?