President Barack Obama does not want tracked armored surplus military vehicles in the hands of local police agencies but foreign governments continue to receive such surplus vehicles.
The Obama administration will deliver armored personnel carriers (APC’s) to the Philippine military as part of the Excess Defense Article Program, Army-Technology reports.
Under the program, which currently shows foreign nations’ equipment requests going back 15 years to the present, surplus U.S. military equipment can be sent to foreign governments or international organization at a reduced cost or grant.
According to Army-Technology, the U.S. delivered 77 units of M113A2 APC, or tracked armored vehicles. Defense News reports the Philippines paid $1.4 million dollars for the entire shipment.
Jonathan Thompson National Sheriffs’ Association CEO told The Daily Caller that the current administration does not have its priorities straight by taking military surplus equipment from American local law enforcement, while continuing to give such equipment to foreign governments.
“The Obama administration is prioritizing protecting Filipinos over U.S. citizens – they’ll be pulling protective equipment out of sheriff’s garages in Michigan and shipping them 8,000 miles to Manila,” Thompson said.
He added, “American sheriffs and law enforcement – serving communities like San Bernardino, Chattanooga, Colorado Springs and countless other areas in the United States – deserve surplus equipment to keep their citizens safe before sending items off to the Philippines.”
Over 80,000 M113 vehicles from the United States are used by at least 44 countries, including: Egypt, Israel, Bahrain, Jordan, Morocco, Tunisia, Greece, Uruguay, Afghanistan, Latvia, Yemen, Iraq, Pakistan, Bahrain, Greece, Lebanon, Brazil, Argentina.
Following riots and protests instigated by controversial police altercations in Ferguson, New York, and Baltimore this past year, President Obama signed an executive order to recall certain surplus military equipment received by local law enforcement agencies from the defense department.
Military equipment, under the Pentagon’s 1033 program, local law enforcement must surrender, to the federal government are tracked armored vehicles; weaponized aircraft, vessels and vehicles; .50-caliber firearms and ammunition; bayonets; camouflage uniforms and grenade launchers