Idiotic blast from the past: Marines re-enact "Ben-Hur" in Fallujah

[Poll_Blind]

Screwed-up soldiers torture horses, dogs, and each other in Falluja

NEAR FALLUJAH, Iraq (AP) - For U.S. Marines awaiting orders to attack Iraq's rebel-held Fallujah, the bags are packed, trucks are loaded and letters have been sent home, leaving one final, pre-assault diversion: the "Ben-Hur."

Blowing off steam, hundreds of Marines took their cue from the 1959 Charlton Heston classic and gathered Saturday at a base near Fallujah for a slapstick chariot race featuring cobbled-together carts and confiscated Iraqi horses.

"These men are about to face the greatest personal and professional tests of their lifetimes," said Lt. Col. Willy Buhl, commander of 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines.

"We wanted to lighten things up, take the tension off what we're about to do," said the 42-year-old commander from Los Gatos, Calif., who dreamed up the "First Annual 'Ben-Hur' Memorial Chariot Race."

Sorry, came across the pic in one of my old image folders and realized that I had forgotten about it. Insane. There's so much other insanity, sadly, that things like this don't stick in our communal consciousness for long.

PB

[neweurope]

1. Nice - consfiscating Iraqi horses who are certainly very prized

possessions and very necessary for daily life for a stupid game. That's the way to win hearts and minds... And even the commander doesn't care and thinks it's a ok to behave openly like the conquerors the Americans are. I didn't read the whole article, I'm fed up already.

Totally fucked up, this.:puke:

---------------------

Remember Fallujah

Bush to The Hague!

[digno dave]

2. good lord, find something else to bitch about.

It's war, and war sucks, but for bigger reasons than this story.

[neweurope]

3. Babies killed by American soldiers are worse by far, true. But

this is bad, also. And it shows very clearly (what the rest of the world always knew) that your country didn't invade Iraq in order to "get rid of a dictator". You are behaving like every criminal invading and occupying army. And let me tell you - if you confiscated MY horses I'd be your enemy for life. If I didn't have a gun yet I would get one pronto. This story adds yet another facet to the terrible war your country has started and that's why it is important.


-------------------

Remember Fallujah

Bush to The Hague!