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U.S. Army Vehicle Headed for Combat Debut

The U.S. Army's first new armored vehicle in 20 years will be loaded onto ships Friday for transport to its combat debut in Iraq. Some critics question whether the eight-wheeled Stryker will stand up to the guerrilla-style fighting U.S. Forces are now facing there. NPR's Eric Westervelt reports.

The Army is hoping that the Stryker signals the future of high-tech, highly mobile infantry units. By year's end a combat brigade from the Fort Lewis, Wash.-based 2nd Infantry Division will likely deploy with the vehicle to the volatile Sunni Triangle west of Baghdad.

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Eric Westervelt is a San Francisco-based correspondent for NPR's National Desk. He has reported on major events for the network from wars and revolutions in the Middle East and North Africa to historic wildfires and terrorist attacks in the U.S.