Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Toyotas and Terrorists: "Why are ISIS's trucks better than ours?" (2023)

airuniversity.af.edu

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

21–30 of 135 posts

Re: Toyotas and Terrorists: "Why are ISIS's trucks better than ours?" (2023)

#21

Post by latexr »

wfleming wrote: post #18
pavel_lishin wrote: post #3

> It is also a very robust vehicle capable of withstanding elemental and physical extremities, as shown on the British TV show “Top Gear.”[6] If you haven't ever watched Top Gear, this is definitely one of the standout bits they did - putting that truck through absolute hell, and watching it continue to start up. I highly recommend it, even if you don't think of yourself as a Car Guy. It's basically a comedy show tha…

For folks who have never seen it, these are the referenced Top Gear segments: - part 1: https://youtu.be/xnWKz7Cthkk - part 2: https://youtu.be/xnWKz7Cthkk - part 3: https://youtu.be/kFnVZXQD5_k

Second link is wrong (links to part 1 again). Corrected: https://youtu.be/xTPnIpjodA8

Re: Toyotas and Terrorists: "Why are ISIS's trucks better than ours?" (2023)

#22

Post by direwolf20 »

CoastalCoder wrote: post #9
themafia wrote: post #6

Why not deal with the cause of the terrorism? Are we really worried what vendor they get their trucks from?

> Why not deal with the cause of the terrorism? I don't think that's a simple proposition.

Some terrorism is because we murdered the terrorist's family, and we could just stop murdering families. I don't think this one is, though.

Re: Toyotas and Terrorists: "Why are ISIS's trucks better than ours?" (2023)

#24

Post by chongli »

netsharc wrote: post #17

Seems like the question is never answered. There's a lot of how the trucks get there, but not why they're better. (I skimmed it, the writing has too much emotional bait of "Look how evil they are! Don't forget, we're the good guys!"). Maybe it's survivor bias, the ones that are crap have been blown up by a Hellfire shot by a drone..

It’s the same story as the Casio F-91W as well as the AK-47. Terrorists (or just any armed paramilitary group) who live in the back country far from common supply lines have a great need for standardized, rugged, reliable, and repairable technology. By living that life, they’re basically forced to think about these issues as a matter of survival.

Re: Toyotas and Terrorists: "Why are ISIS's trucks better than ours?" (2023)

#25

Post by thatcat »

HeyLaughingBoy wrote: post #14

I loved my 1987 Toyota 4x4 pickup with all its mods. My wife used to say that I'd get rid of her before I got rid of it (wife's still here; I sold the truck long ago). But no way in hell would I want to be a real accident in one. That's why they're no longer sold in the US. Amazing off-roader, cheap and extremely reliable. But they're stuck in 1980's crash survivability while the rest of the world moved on.

They're selling side by sides today in the <3500 dry wt. category which can be road registered. If used primarily for agriculture, they're even tax exempt from registration in some states. The 80's toyota pickup is better than a side by side and weighs less than 3500, arguably safer, and offers better utility for agriculture. There are plenty of Toyota manufacturing facilities in the US, which would avoid the chicken tax on import. It's not impossible or unreasonable for light weight toyota turbo diesels with hydraulic systems, an aluminum frame, and manual locking hubs to materialize.

Re: Toyotas and Terrorists: "Why are ISIS's trucks better than ours?" (2023)

#26

Post by the__alchemist »

netsharc wrote: post #17

Seems like the question is never answered. There's a lot of how the trucks get there, but not why they're better. (I skimmed it, the writing has too much emotional bait of "Look how evil they are! Don't forget, we're the good guys!"). Maybe it's survivor bias, the ones that are crap have been blown up by a Hellfire shot by a drone..

  - Cheap + reliable
  - Parts for maintenance easy to come by
  - Strong enough to mount an 50 cal in the back
You might have a mix of government owned vehicles, and ones rented from the local economy. You might be driving Hiluxes to work, and observing ISIS or partner forces using the same model as fighting vehicles.

Re: Toyotas and Terrorists: "Why are ISIS's trucks better than ours?" (2023)

#27

Post by hnav »

taniks1618 wrote: post #2

I wish it was easy and simple to buy the Hilux in America. Many amazing foreign vehicles have been banned or heavily taxed by the Federal Government to prevent competition.

Even vehicles that are largely the same as those we get here are banned from being brought in. All because Mercedes didn't like being undercut by gray market imports and lobbied the government.

Re: Toyotas and Terrorists: "Why are ISIS's trucks better than ours?" (2023)

#28

Post by hnav »

direwolf20 wrote: post #22
CoastalCoder wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Why not deal with the cause of the terrorism? I don't think that's a simple proposition.

Some terrorism is because we murdered the terrorist's family, and we could just stop murdering families. I don't think this one is, though.

No, these guys we seem to have funded and supported. We even helped a former AQ leader become the president of Syria.

Re: Toyotas and Terrorists: "Why are ISIS's trucks better than ours?" (2023)

#29

Post by gowld »

avidiax wrote: post #7

While I don't think it would prevent our troops from having foreign-produced trucks in theater, we can't affordably procure such trucks thanks to the Chicken Tax. I would also guess that giving a DoD contract to Toyota for a truck that may not be registrable in the US would also face institutional resistance. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicken_tax

25% tariff isn't a roadblock for military spending.

Re: Toyotas and Terrorists: "Why are ISIS's trucks better than ours?" (2023)

#30

Post by gowld »

tomlockwood wrote: post #11

One of the books that influenced my thinking the most was The Accidental Guerilla by David Kilcullen where he posits that economic disadvantage drove a lot of people to insurgency. This article supports that. Worth a read!

Yes, humans do compete for resources.
Post reply on HN