DERP

Whoever’s posting the links at Drudge Report really seems to enjoy the work of the Dumbest Man on the Internet, Jim Hoft, because the estimable Gateway Pundit receives another Drudge benefaction today, for another long-debunked right wing paranoid fantasy:

Obama DHS Purchases 2,700 Light-Armored Tanks to Go With Their 1.6 Billion Bullet Stockpile | the Gateway Pundit.

Notice how Hoft deftly combines two wingnut fever dreams in his headline, connecting the ridiculous “tanks” lie with the equally crazed “bullet stockpile” story hyped last week by half-governor Sarah Palin, creating one massive, delirious right wing ball of anti-government fear. That’s why he gets the Drudge links.

This is getting a little creepy.
According to one estimate, since last year the Department of Homeland Security has stockpiled more than 1.6 billion bullets, mainly .40 caliber and 9mm.

DHS also purchased 2,700 Mine Resistant Armor Protected Vehicles (MRAP).

Modern Survival Blog reported…

Yes, Hoft’s source is a survivalist blog. And of course, it’s bogus fear-mongering hooey.

First, the DHS doesn’t have “tanks.” They have armored vehicles intended to be used in emergency situations like Hurricane Katrina, and in ICE raids against drug gangs along the Mexican border, where the criminals are known to possess military weaponry such as fully automatic rifles and grenade launchers.

But to make it even more sinister, the DHS is hiding these SCARY SEKRIT MURDER TANKS in plain sight, right on the front page of their border security section.

Here’s a classified photo of one of the SCARY MURDER TANKS terrorizing some helpless children back in 2010. (h/t: Gus.)

But wait, it gets even dumber! LGF contributor Gus dug up the announcement of the contract for this particular order of 2700 MRAPs (actually 2717), and it turns out that they’re being purchased by the Marine Corps … not the DHS.

Navistar Defense, L.L.C., Warrenville, Ill., is being awarded an $879,923,195 firm-fixed-priced delivery order 0023 under previously awarded contract (M67854-07-D-5032) for the procurement of 2,717 units of rolling chassis; 10 engineering change proposals; and 25 contract data requirements lists, for MaxxPro Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles. Work will be performed in West Point, Miss., and is expected to be completed by the end of October 2013. Procurement funds in the amount of $879,923,195 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The original contract was competitively procured. The Marine Corps Systems Command, Quantico, Va., is the contracting activity.

So what Hoft has discovered are secret tanks being bought by the DHS that aren’t secret and aren’t tanks, and aren’t being bought by the DHS.

Fox News host Lou Dobbs retweets Hoft’s false story:

DHS goes paramilitary, putting up drones, next?: Obama DHS Purchases 2,700 Light-Armored Tanks shar.es/jzyaH via @gatewaypundit

— lou dobbs (@loudobbsnews) March 4, 2013