On staying in your lane

I've mentioned previously that the media swirl on the Gator story is overblown. Turns out I'm not the only one who thinks so.

Update: And note just how enthusiastic they are about the decision to suspend use of the Gators outside the wire.

Upperdate: Bruce Rolston throws more fuel on the pyre of flaming journalistic credibility:

The M-Gator, used by the Canadian, U.S. and other militaries, has a ground pressure when fully loaded of 8 psi. Human-foot ground pressure is 9-12 psi. So assuming the IED that destroyed the Gator was detonated by a pressure plate or other independent trigger, it likely would have been tripped by personnel walking from point A to B as well. And if it was command-detonated (ie, someone pressed a button to blow it up) it would also have been equally effective against three dismounted troops.

The general in charge has said the vehicle in question was used in part because of the narrowness of the local laneways, which would seem to rule out the use of any larger, better protected vehicle, regardless of their availability. So there may not have been a lot of good choices here, and given those ground pressure figures it at least seems unlikely the personnel would have been any safer walking that day.

Bruce is far more polite than I am. I'm inclined to send these poseurs in the press a personalized, gift-wrapped box of SHUT THE HELL UP.