The United States invaded Iraq in 2003 without the military “having taken available steps to acquire technology to mitigate the known mine and IED risk to soldiers and Marines”, according to a report by the Pentagon’s acting inspector general:
Even after the war was under way, as the devices began taking a deadly toll and field commanders pressed for vehicles that were better protected from roadside bombs, the Pentagon was slow to act, the report says.
The report deals specifically with the Marines’ use of MRAPs:
The IG report says that the military ’stopped processing’ a 2005 request for 1,169 MRAPS from commanders in the field. Another request came a year later, according to a letter from [Senator Kit] Bond and [Senator Joe] Biden to Gen. James Conway, the Marine commandant.
Marine officials thought then that adding armor to Humvees was the “best available, most survivable” option, according to the IG report.
The study’s results in brief here.
