When the M1 tank was still in the
development stage, an important decision had
to be made about what type of engine to use.
The choice was a traditional diesel engine or the AGT-1500 turbine.
The turbine gives more power, which gives
more speed for out maneuvering other tanks.
It's big problem is that it sucks even more fuel than a diesel.
This is very important.
Military history is full of instances where the course of battle,
even the entire war, was changed when tanks ran out of fuel.
Patton's W.W.II drive on Germany was stalled because of a fuel shortage.
Hitler's tanks ran out of fuel during the Battle of the Bulge.
Using the AGT-1500 means more $$$ and soldiers
have to be used to supply fuel to the tanks.
It also makes America even more dependent on foreign oil.
It requires a high-tech APU.
The guy Nixon chose to make the decision was William Clements.
He just happened to be in the oil business, owning a
drilling rig supply company w/ sales around the world.
Guess What?!
He went w/ the turbine.
Texas was so happy they eventually made him Governor.
Twelve yrs. later, his
Texas oil friend George Bush was President and America was fighting
the Gulf War to protect the supply of oil for the AGT-1500s.
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Clements is also famous for being the guy who made the statement:
"They Are All Dead"
in 1973, after the last group of U.S. POWs
were released by the N. Vietnamese in 1973.
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This statement was contradictory to all available intelligence
reports about U.S. POWs still being alive in captivity.
He has since claimed that Nixon authorized the statement.
However Nixon always claimed it was unauthorized.
The statement was part of the overall Nixon policy of allowing POW/MIAs
to to die in captivity, in order to prevent the implementation of the
Paris 'Peace' Accords he had allegedly waged war for 5 yrs. to get signed.
The negotiations for the accords were just a scam to keep the war
going as a bloody stalemate that would weaken the Vietnamese
an keep them from capitalizing on their inevitable victory.
Nixon's negotiator, Hienze Kissinger, was
given the Nobel Peace Prize
for the Accords.
His Vietnamese counterpart refused to
accept his,
because the Accords did nothing to stop the war.
A Cut-Away And Standard View Of The
AVCO-Lycoming AGT-1500 Gas Turbine Engine.