And the prototype for the next generation of military attack vehicle will be ...? (Updated)

I ran across an interesting contrast of opinions, recently.

UK bloggers "EU Referendum" love the Cougar for its heavy armor and resistance of IEDs. They regard the Stryker as little more than a death trap for soldiers, no doubt because of its vulnerability to IED attacks.

Independent reporter Michael Yon, who has been reporting from the field in Iraq from various embed assignments with coalition forces there, singled out the Stryker for particular praise recently.

A person does not need to even meet the commanders (though I do each day) to know they are running a tight ship. The professionalism of 3-2 is particularly high, and they are very competent fighters who are maximizing their assets, including the incredible Stryker vehicles.

While the name “Stryker” is on the table, apparently controversy is brewing back home whether Strykers should be in our arsenal. The answer is YES: we need all we can get. The Stryker might be the finest all-around combat vehicle in Iraq. But that is a matter for another day, and for professional soldiers to answer.
(National Review Online)

So what's up?

My guess is that the Stryker offers a rapid troop movement with onboard firepower capabilities that are not yet matched by any vehicle specifically designed for IED resistance.

Do I know what I'm talking about, here?
Not really. I look forward to seeing the comments of experts, to see whether I just might be right.

The Stryker vehicle, above.



And here's a Cougar (Update: more likely an RG-31 Charger, on second thought), apparently after being disabled by an IED. The shot shows, at least superficially, how the vehicle design protects the occupants.

The UK recently found three different designs similar to the Stryker unsatisfactory for use in its armed forces.