Kerry: Bush Shortchanges Troops on Gear

John Kerry, the Democratic presidential nominee-in-waiting, challenged the Bush administration Saturday to reimburse the families of U.S. troops "who had to buy the body armor" needed for protection in Iraq.

"If I am president, I will be prepared to use military force to protect our security, our people and our vital interests," the Massachusetts senator said in the Democrats' weekly radio address.

"But I will never send our troops into harm's way without enough firepower and support."

Kerry said tens of thousands of troops arrived in Iraq "to find that - with danger around every corner - there wasn't enough body armor to protect them." Many families purchased the equipment and had it sent overseas, he added.

"Families should be sending pictures and care packages to Iraq - and the Department of Defense should be sending the body armor," Kerry said.