Prometheus 6

U.S. to Armor-Plate Iraqi Police Vehicles
Program to Cover 1,300 SUVs, Trucks
By Walter Pincus
Washington Post Staff Writer
Saturday, December 16, 2006; A14

Reacting to criticism that the United States has not provided the right equipment to Iraqi security forces, the Multi-National Command in Baghdad has been seeking a contractor to put armor on 1,300 American-made SUVs and pickup trucks used by the Iraqi National Police.

The awarding of the contract was scheduled for yesterday.

The program is being undertaken two years after Iraqis began to be recruited because the Iraqi National Police "have been losing policemen due to small arms fire and IEDs [improvised explosive devices] while operating in their patrol trucks," according to the solicitation for bidders published last month.