Commander: Marine vehicle saves lives

RAMADI, Iraq, April 19 (UPI) -- A top Marine commander in Iraq says a new line of armored vehicles have protected Marines in more than 300 attacks.

Marine Brig. Gen. John Allen, deputy commander of coalition forces in Anbar province, said no Marines died in any of the attacks and the average number of Marines injured in the attacks is less than one, USA Today reported Thursday. Allen said attacks on other vehicles averaged more than two casualties each.

The Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles are designed with raised, V-shaped hulls to repel the force of blasts from buried bombs on the Iraqi roads. The Marines currently operate about 100 of them in Iraq and are requesting an additional 3,000 for use in Anbar province, the center of the Sunni insurgency.

"It's a great vehicle in term of protecting troops," Allen said.

Marine Corps Commandant Gen. James Conway told the Joint Chiefs of Staff in March that he wants all Marines traveling outside their bases in Iraq to use the MRAPs as transport.