Page 5 - Aruba Today

U.S. NEWS A5
Tuesday 8 March 2016

Navy SEALs tell congressman there is a combat rifle shortage

Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-Calif., center, speaks during a news conference on Capitol Hill. Navy SEAL but he declined to provide ey is not reaching the peo-
teams don’t have enough combat rifles to go around even as these secretive, highly trained further information about ple it needs to reach.”
forces are relied on more than ever to hunt down members of the Islamic State group and other the weapons they use in Combat rifles can cost up
terrorists, according to SEALs who have confided in Rep. Hunter. order to protect their iden- to several thousand dol-
tities. lars depending upon the
(AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster) U.S. military officials said type of weapon and qual-
they were looking into the ity of the sights and other
RICHARD LARDNER ever to carry out counter- Hunter, a former Marine issue. Sharing rifles may attachments. But the M-4
Associated Press terrorism operations and who served three combat seem inconsequential. It’s carbine, the standard
WASHINGTON (AP) — The other secretive missions, tours in Iraq and Afghani- not. The weapons, which combat rifle used by the
tip of the spear may be los- according to SEALs who stan. This weapons carou- are outfitted with telescop- military branches, cost less
ing its edge. have confided in Rep. Dun- sel undercuts the “train like ic targeting sights and laser than $1,000 each when
Navy SEAL teams don’t can Hunter, R-Calif. you fight” ethos of the U.S. pointers, are fine-tuned to bought in bulk, according
have enough combat ri- After SEALs return from a special operations forces, individual specifications to Defense Department
fles to go around, even as deployment, their rifles are they said. and become intensely per- budget documents.
these highly trained forces given to other commandos Hunter said he’s been con- sonal pieces of gear. Hunter wrote last month to
are relied on more than who are shipping out, said tacted by several SEALs, “They want their rifles,” the Naval Special Warfare
Hunter said. “It’s their life- Command’s leader, Rear
line. So let them keep their Adm. Brian Losey, about
guns until they’re assigned the alleged weapon short-
desk jobs at the Pentagon.” age and also asked him for
The problem isn’t a lack of a full accounting of how
money, according to Hunt- the command’s budget
er. Congress has frequently was spent last year. Losey
boosted the budgets of has told Hunter to expect a
special operations forces reply by Wednesday.
in the years since the 9/11 The congressman said in
attacks, he said. Rifles also the Feb. 17 letter that the
are among the least expen- command’s operation and
sive items the military buys, maintenance account
leading Hunter to question increased by nearly $11
the priorities of Naval Spe- million between 2014 and
cial Warfare Command, 2015. Yet it is “suffering from
the Coronado, California, budgetary constraints and
organization that oversees lack of funding impacting
the SEALs. the ability to equip, train
“There is so much wasteful and support the SEALs’ criti-
spending,” he said. “Mon- cal needs.”q

Boston Marathon bombing survivor killed in Dubai car crash

DENISE LAVOIE vere shrapnel injuries to quet to stop the bleeding, en from us.” vice work,” Aoun said of
AP Legal Affairs Writer her left leg from the first of a move McGrath’s doctor A Northeastern spokesman McGrath.
BOSTON (AP) — A college two bombs placed near later told him saved her life. said McGrath was sched- Torres, who was also sched-
student who survived seri- the marathon finish line on Mendelsohn flagged down uled to graduate this spring uled to graduate this
ous injuries in the Boston April 15, 2013. Three people a firefighter, who carried from Northeastern’s school spring, came to Northeast-
Marathon bombing was were killed and more than McGrath away from the ofbusiness. She was origi- ern from Guaynabo, Puerto
killed in a car accident in 260 others were injured in scene in what became nally from Weston, Con- Rico, and was passionate
Dubai over the weekend, the bombing. one of the most widely necticut. about travel and working
a spokesman for Northeast- Bruce Mendelsohn, who used photographs from the The U.S. Embassy in Abu on issues related to nutrition
ern University said Monday. was attending a post-mar- bombing. Dhabi declined to com- and women’s health, Aoun
Victoria McGrath was killed athon party in a building McGrath later tracked ment. Northeastern Presi- said.
Sunday, along with her overlooking the finish line, down her rescuers and dent Joseph E. Aoun sent a J.P. and Paul Norden,
roommate at Northeastern, rushed outside to help and formed friendships with letter Monday notifying the brothers who each lost a
Priscilla Perez Torres, the saw McGrath lying on the them, Mendelsohn said. Northeastern community of leg in the bombings, post-
Boston school confirmed. ground, bleeding heav- “At the time, I was angry the students’ death. ed a photo of McGrath on
McGrath and Torres were ily from her left leg. Men- that anyone could do such “She was devoted to help- their Facebook page.
on a personal trip and not delsohn said he tied a scarf a thing,” Mendelsohn said ing others through leader- “Life can change in an in-
studying abroad. or T-shirt he found nearby of the bombing. “Now I’m ship in student organiza- stant...we know this only
McGrath, 23, received se- around her leg as a tourni- angry that she’s been tak- tions and community ser- too well.q