Stars and Stripes: Baghdad Tigers

[lebkuchen]

October 1st

I read the story "Tiger bites U.S. GI" (Sept 21) about U.S. soldiers going into the Baghdad zoo after hours and after they'd had a few too many drinks. One soldier fed a tiger and it bit him. Then another soldier shot and killed the tiger.

Was the tiger hiding weapons of mass destruction? Was is a threat to the multibillion-dollar war machine in Iraq? Will the soldiers be severely disciplined for this? Will Americans ever learn to stay the hell out of other people's animals' business? Does a dead, caged tiger make up for the inability for the American mega-military to find Saddam Hussein or Osama bin Laden? Does the American military have to constantly live up to its World War II reputation of "Best fed, worst led?"

Calgary, Alberta, Canada

If all our troops in Baghdad have left to do is get drunk and take potshots at caged animals, what is going on over there? Where was their commanding officer? Who supplies the beer for the parties at the zoo?

I'd like to hear the Army's story on this. I want to get our folks home safe and sound, but things like this make our troops look more cruel and bloodthirsty than Saddam Hussein's.

Stockbridge, GA

[NIGHT TRIPPER]

1. this story is buried and very few people even heard about it

it never got big play by the facist media--another story your friends who don't get their news on the internet will never hear.

We need to get a free press in this country.

Stories like this need to be heard !!!

[fknobbit]

5. for an answer to the solders behavior

Question those without souls who put them there. I know what it does to one when surrounded by an enemy who can mingle with the population without being visible, a lesson we should have learned in Viet Nam. I know what it does to you both morally and spiritually (see My Lai). You are concerned with one thing only and that is the lives of your self and those beside you. You become paranoid with justification.It has always been thus with army's. We are in a no win situation and it will bleed us to death both Spiritually and morally.

Question a press corps who were more than willing to show the LBJ body bags and refuse to comment on the Iraq/Afghanistan dead and wounded, Indeed, where is their outrage at the Va's 6 month waiting list for the mangled? where is the anger at paying Haliburton $165.00 per fighting man daily to feed the troops a baggy of dehydrated puke, sans water?

Sorry for the outburst but I find it ironic that animal rights should be a biggy, given all the horse s*** we are surrounded with.

Winston Churchill once said "A country without a conscience is a country without a soul, and a country without a soul is a country that cannot survive."

[realFedUp]

2. Do you have a link?

to this letter or the original story? Thanks.

[tom_paine]

3. Yes yes...a link!

I'm off to Google...

[tom_paine]

4. Here's the link

http://www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/meast/09/20/sprj.irq.tiger.reut/index.html

[lebkuchen]

6. estripes.com on Sunday, or your Monday

go to "letters" and then look at the European letters. You'll find them there.

I receive Stripes daily on the base, but the letters are updated on the webpage weekly.