Men In Tights

From CNN:

In a senate hearing on Capital hill yesterday, Rumsfeld discussed a prototype version of fortified leggings the Army wants to use. At $9,400 a pair, they use air conditioning technology and weigh 38 pounds, according to one lawmaker, who asked whether they could protect a soldier from roadside bombs.

Rumsfeld did not address the cost or the effectiveness of the prototype, saying instead that the idea is to avoid having "vehicles operating without appropriate armor in areas outside of protected compounds."

I don't get it. We can't spend the money to upgrade armor on soldiers' humvees, but we can spend it on ridiculously heavy, amazingly expensive pantyhose?

Plus, the lawmaker asked if the leggings could protect a soldier from roadside bombs... and Rumsfeld dodged the question.

So are we to assume these leggings are ineffective?

Why doesn't Rummy want to protect our troops?