Confident Marines Cut 'Bombproof' Truck Orders

The Marines are cutting orders of a nearly "bombproof" Hummer replacement from 3,700 to 2,225, reflecting a more peaceful Iraq and the success of the vehicle, reports the Christian Science Monitor. “Combine the reduction in attacks with the fact that we're not losing as many vehicles as we thought, and the Marines don’t need as many, said an official.

The Marines have also been lobbying to get out of Iraq and focus on the more rugged combat zones of Afghanistan, where the lumbering trucks are less useful. They weigh too much to deploy easily aboard Navy ships and can’t handle off-road driving. "We're not saying that the Army doesn't need it,” said one official, but the Marine mission is changing. (More Marine stories.)