(Fallujah) mayor backs Rhode Island candidate ("favorite USA colonel")

[Barrett808]

SOUTH KINGSTOWN, R.I. - A candidate for the Rhode Island Legislature has gotten an unusual endorsement — from the mayor of Fallujah, Iraq, praising him as that city's "favorite USA colonel."

Republican James Haldeman, a retired Marine lieutenant colonel, had re-entered the Marine Corps to go to Iraq, where he ran a civil-military operations center last year in Fallujah. He oversaw the reconstruction of schools, a power plant, water treatment plant and other facilities.

Now back in military retirement, the American Airlines pilot is running for the seat held by Democratic state Rep. John Patrick Shanley Jr.

The endorsement from Mayor Dhari Abdul Hadi al-Irssan describes Haldeman, 50, as Fallujah's "favorite USA colonel." Haldeman's translator in Iraq forwarded the endorsement to him by e-mail, said Chuck Newton, spokesman for the Rhode Island GOP.

(more)

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060710/ap_on_el_ge/iraqi_endorsement

[Kutjara]

1. Now if we can just get Osama to come out in support of Jeb. n/t

[movonne]

2. Who gives a fuck...he is probably one of Bush's hand pick puppets..and

we are supposed to listen to what he has to say about our elections..how much of this crap to we have to take...

[daleo]

3. This is surreal

An endorsement from the "mayor" of a city the U.S. basically destroyed.

[denverbill]

4. Amazing. Finally a GOP candidate that actually served.

It's nice to know they aren't all chickenhawks. He's one of the .5%-ers I guess.