Stanza 174


174

Ten days flew by before the infantry
Were ready to depart. Each LAV
Had been upgraded so that all around
A mesh of wires stood ready to confound
The RPGs, which were the greatest threat
To armored vehicles. Against this net,
The warheads would be forced to detonate
Where all the energy would dissipate
Before it could impel the copper through
The armor. Trucks had no defenses to
Protect them, so the convoy would detour
Around the village. Though this would insure
Avoidance of an ambush, the terrain
Would slow the heavy rigs, which might remain
Stuck unless the winches could extract
Them quickly. Ammunition had been packed,
So stranded trucks would be a sniper's dream,
And fuel rigs would present the most extreme
Example of this weakness. To counter,
A feigned attack distracts each villager.