US demands Russia return seized Humvees

[SUBMAN1]

Good!

-S

US demands Russia return seized Humvees

6 hours ago
WASHINGTON (AFP) — The United States has formally demanded the return of five US military vehicles seized by Russian forces in Georgia but Moscow has not indicated it will do so, a Pentagon spokesman said Friday.


"The United States did demarche the government of Russia with respect to the handful of Humvees," Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman said, referring to the military's all-purpose, four wheel vehicles.


"That has not been resolved satisfactorily for us at this point," he said.

Whitman said the Russians responded to the demarche, which is a formal diplomatic representation of a government's views or positions.


He characterized Moscow's response by saying, "They have not given us any positive signs in this regard."


According to witnesses, five Humvees with the letters USMC -- the initials of the US Marine Corps -- emblazoned on them were taken by Russian forces in the Georgian port of Poti.


The Pentagon has said the vehicles had been used in a military exercise and were awaiting shipment out of the country when fighting erupted between Georgia and Russia.


A Russian newspaper said the vehicles contained sophisticated satellite communications gear and had been flown to Moscow to be examined.

http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5..._R8YRX-l3rHNSw

[STEED]

You have seen the last of them thats for sure........

[Digital_Trucker]

Nah, we'll get them back, but they will look suspiciously like the Russian eqivalent.:hmm:

[Thomen]

Originally Posted by STEED

You have seen the last of them thats for sure........

I concur.. they will probably draw some similarities to the Soviet stuff that the US got over the years from defectors, and make a claim that it was handed to them.

[mrbeast]

Well whats the US going to do? Go to war over 5 trucks?

I'm sure the US will get them back after they have been pulled apart in Moscow! Well at least the pieces!

On the other hand would the US do anything differently if several Russian vehicles containing possibly classified new technology fell into their hands?

[SUBMAN1]

Originally Posted by mrbeast

...On the other hand would the US do anything differently if several Russian vehicles containing possibly classified new technology fell into their hands?

Like what?

-S

[Bruno Lotse]

I came across an newspaper article where Russian claimed they handed over
those five vehicle into custody of the Georgian army.
Russians claim they have a delivery reciept signed by Georgian
corporal Mbugagashvilli

[AntEater]

A Humvee?
What should be secret about them?
Sorry, but I think there are more than enough of those on Moscow streets.
The SUV version is popular with "new Russians" as a status symbol.
Humvees are also not exactly popular with non US militaries (except if they get them for free, that is).


The german army guys I know preferred a Wolf (Mercedes G class) over a Humvee any day, and the USMC seems to agree with them.

Sorry, but they should write them off. 4 humvees was the average day loss in Iraq around 2005 or so.
Nowadays the Iraquis themselves lose 4 humvees per day, but I suppose those are not taken out by enemy fire, but rather get "lost" (and turn up in Tehran).

[Skybird]

They' ll keep them, but eventually they will send back the tires.

[Digital_Trucker]

Originally Posted by SUBMAN1

Like what?

-S

:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

[JoeCorrado]

Originally Posted by SUBMAN1

Like what?

-S

Exactly-

We aren't exactly talking about the pilot of a mig fighter defecting and landing at a foreign airfield or something here. We are talking about a small and very low tech vehicle in military terms.

You can bet that the radio equipment typically found in such vehicles was not "permanently" mounted in said vehicles, and would have most certainly been removed and accompanied the parent units home when they left the country.

We are out a not inconsequential investment in the vehicles, but nothing more serious than that.

[August]

Originally Posted by JoeCorrado

You can bet that the radio equipment typically found in such vehicles was not "permanently" mounted in said vehicles, and would have most certainly been removed and accompanied the parent units home when they left the country.

As a former Army radio operator I can attest to this. Those vehicles would have been stripped of anything remotely sensitive before they left our custody. The fact that the Russians are so impressed that they airlifted the vehicles off to Moscow for analysis makes them sound like hillbilly's being impressed by a flush toilet.