Democratic Underground Latest Greatest Lobby Journals Search Options Help Login
Google

U.S. Retools Hussein Pleasure Palace as Camp Victory

Printer-friendly format Printer-friendly format
Printer-friendly format Email this thread to a friend
Printer-friendly format Bookmark this thread
This topic is archived.
Home » Discuss » Latest Breaking News Donate to DU
 
Dover Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Jun-12-04 02:54 AM
Original message
U.S. Retools Hussein Pleasure Palace as Camp Victory
U.S. Retools Hussein Pleasure Palace as Camp Victory
By THOM SHANKER

Published: June 12, 2004



AGHDAD, Iraq - At a desert retreat where Saddam Hussein's cronies hunted gazelles and entertained mistresses, the American military is building one of its largest overseas bases since the Vietnam War, a rambling, dusty mix of tents, trailers and villas where sandbags rival chandeliers as the second-most notable architectural feature.

That is because at the renamed Camp Victory, the signature design element is the marble column, many with a swirling stone pattern in sandy hues nearly matching those of desert combat fatigues.

The largest palace, called Qasr al Fao, sits in the middle of a man-made lake stocked with carp and catfish, and is the new headquarters for senior military commanders in Iraq.

A third-story palace wall was hit by an American JDAM (Joint Direct Attack Munition) bomb in the war, but the damaged section has been rebuilt to hold a classified planning room that is so overly air-conditioned that it is known as the Meat Locker.

Twenty-four hours a day, officers and staff members climb and descend spiral staircases that recall headquarters from past wars, a simpler era when logistics were more important than information operations. Eisenhower or Patton can be imagined striding these polished floors, but they would hardly recognize the technology that has been injected throughout the palace....cont'd

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/06/12/international/middleeast/12camp.html

Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
NMDemDist2 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Jun-12-04 02:57 AM
Response to Original message
1. "Camp Victory" ?????
:wtf: crap crap crap
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
the Kelly Gang Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Jun-12-04 03:09 AM
Response to Original message
2. I find this using of Saddam's palaces so distasteful..and what message
is sending to Iraqis ?
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
makhno Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Jun-12-04 03:22 AM
Response to Original message
3. One more Times hack piece
What is it with these fuckers today!

Eisenhower or Patton can be imagined striding these polished floors

Funny that, the image that came to my mind is of a Rommel or a von Rundstedt striding the polished floors of a French chateau in Normandy, chin up in senseless racial arrogance.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
teryang Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Jun-12-04 06:39 AM
Response to Reply #3
4. Propaganda du jour
Last night while discussing military ideals, a history channel piece on Troy, said that Francis Marion and TOMMY FRANKS were known as foxes because of their superior intelligence and wiley tactics. I really thought that the historical piece was tainted by this bit of propaganda. It almost seemed like they should have said Francis Marion and Rommel, but edited out the latter in favor of TOMMY FRANKS.

I googled Tommy Franks and Fox, and the overwhelming returns were FOX network, as in faux. Also, there was DESERT FOX the operation name and an outlier, Grey Fox, a reference to a covert task force or operation. I saw no reference to Tommy Franks as a desert fox or any other. Perhaps he is a legend in his own mind.

There was an interesting description to human sacrifice in the story, which is intended by rulers to be a demonstration of their arbitrary power and in other cases a demonstration of their commitment. The commentary on Agammemnon and his unflattering reputation for fighting from behind the lines was interesting as were the references to an invading Army which fought not for home and hearth but for greed and conquest.

Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Tellurian Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Jun-12-04 07:42 AM
Response to Original message
5. Sick, Sick, Sick stuff...
All that waste of electricity while hospitals go without.

Someone needs to kick the ego maniacal military out of Saddam's resort and let them pay attention to business just as the rest of our soldiers are doing in the field.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
leftchick Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Jun-12-04 08:28 AM
Response to Reply #5
6. I remember reading a quote from an Iraqi not long ago....
he was complaining about having electricity in Baghdad for 3 hours on then 3 hours off as compared to the Americans in the green zone never missing a minute of it. The US is clueless.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Whoa_Nelly Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Jun-12-04 12:00 PM
Response to Original message
7. To the victor belongs the spoils
But, SUPPOSEDLY the Americans are in Iraq to "liberate" the Iraqis, not to claim victory/ownership for the US. Taking over any of Saddam's palaces is an egregious injustuce. These buildings and adjoining land belong solely to the Iraqis. :mad:
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Mnemosyne Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Jun-12-04 04:31 PM
Response to Original message
8. Shame.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
struggle4progress Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Jun-13-04 12:55 AM
Response to Original message
9. Uh, didn't they want to DISTANCE themselves from the last regime?
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
DU AdBot (1000+ posts) Click to send private message to this author Click to view 
this author's profile Click to add 
this author to your buddy list Click to add 
this author to your Ignore list Thu Dec 26th 2024, 10:46 PM
Response to Original message
Advertisements [?]
 Top

Home » Discuss » Latest Breaking News Donate to DU

Powered by DCForum+ Version 1.1 Copyright 1997-2002 DCScripts.com
Software has been extensively modified by the DU administrators


Important Notices: By participating on this discussion board, visitors agree to abide by the rules outlined on our Rules page. Messages posted on the Democratic Underground Discussion Forums are the opinions of the individuals who post them, and do not necessarily represent the opinions of Democratic Underground, LLC.

Home  |  Discussion Forums  |  Journals |  Store  |  Donate

About DU  |  Contact Us  |  Privacy Policy

Got a message for Democratic Underground? Click here to send us a message.

© 2001 - 2011 Democratic Underground, LLC