Is This Thumbs-Up Some Sort Of Secret Recognition Signal?

[ThomWV]

I guess I've seen people make the thumbs-up gesture a few times here and there over the years, but I've never seen it used with any great frequency. Now, with the release of the mistreatment (torture and murder too) photos I see our troops using it and I frequently see the turd in the White House using that gesture as well. Is it a secret way they recognize each other or something like that?

[Catch22Dem]

1. I think it's conincidental

More than anything else. I do it all the time, and I don't have a key to the secret bathroom ;)

[babzilla]

2. just another tribute to Ronnie

from Ron Jr.'s eulogy:

He was, as you know, a famously optimistic man. Sometimes such optimism leads you to see the world as you wish it were as opposed to how it really is. At a certain point in his presidency, Dad decided he was going to revive the thumbs-up gesture. So he went all over the country, of course, giving everybody the thumbs up.


(UNINTELLIGIBLE) and I found ourselves in the presidential limousine one day returning from some big event. My mother was there and Dad was, of course, thumbs-upping the crowd along the way, and suddenly, looming in the window on his side of the car, was this snarling face. This fellow was reviving an entirely different hand gesture. And hoisted an entirely different digit in our direction. Dad saw this and without missing a beat turned to us and said, "You see? I think it's catching on."

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20040612/ap_on_re_us/reagan_ron_reagan_text_1

[DoYouEverWonder]

3. W does it all the time

it's become a sort of salute. Instead of sieg hiel, the neocons prefer the old thumbs up. (See my sig line)

[AndyTiedye]

5. It's In the smilies too. There is also a thumbsdown

:thumbsdown: :thumbsdown: :thumbsdown: :thumbsdown: :thumbsdown: :thumbsdown: :thumbsdown:

:thumbsdown: :thumbsdown: :thumbsdown: :thumbsdown: :thumbsdown: :thumbsdown: :thumbsdown:

[troublemaker]

4. In the prison photos

the 'thumbs up and manic smile' pose is calculated to be unambiguous and effective in expressing something to an Iraqi male. (It doesn't matter what)

It's strong evidence that they were directed photos designed to be shown to prisoners. The average person has never smiled so broadly in a photo unless they've competed in beauty pageants.

Historical trivia: The thumbs up is a universal sign of affirmation except in ancient Rome where it meant 'kill the fallen gladiator'--thumbs down was the one that spared a life. strange but true.

[tishaLA]

6. It is my understanding that thumbs up

is an obscene gesture in Iraq, kinda like giving the finger.

[Must_B_Free]

7. I think it part of the contest

I suspect all these photos were for a contest. It explicitly mentions that the dog handelers were having a contest to see who could make the most prisoners wet themselves in fear.

This thumbs up reminds me of Penn State Sub Shop. They have it lines with photos from people all over the world holding up the bag with their name on it.

So I suspect the thumbs up is a little tongue in cheek joke to make the torture events as if to say, "Another job well done".