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The state of âmerkin psych ops in Iraq
EFLTIKRIT, Iraq (Reuters) - Saddam Hussein has his head tossed back, his blonde locks flowing and a filter-tipped cigarette dangling coquettishly between his delicate fingers. Meet "Zsa Zsa Saddam", the U.S. armyâs latest ploy in the four-month hunt for the fugitive dictator. In a campaign set to start on Monday, U.S. forces plan to put up posters around Saddamâs hometown of Tikrit showing his face superimposed on Hollywood heroines and other stars in an attempt to enrage his followers and draw them out. As well as Saddam dolled up as a slinky Zsa Zsa Gabor, there is a busty Rita Hayworth Saddam, a grooving Elvis Saddam and even Saddam in the guise of British-born rocker Billy Idol. "Weâre going to do something devious with these," said a chuckling Lieutenant-Colonel Steve Russell last week, as he checked out a range of spoof Saddam pictures taken from the Internet (www.worth1000.com). "Most of the locals will love âem and theyâll be laughing. But the bad guys are going to be upset, which will just make it easier for us to know who they are." The gambit is part of a game of cat-and-mouse Russell and his unit are playing with Saddam loyalists in the Tikrit area. Apparently intimidated by the U.S. Armyâs heavy presence around town, more and more guerrillas are stashing their weapons and keeping a low profile, U.S. commanders say. U.S. forces are trying to flush them out and hunt them while they can. One tactic Russell and his team uses is to make themselves the bait. On most nights, Humvees packed with soldiers will drive up and down what has been dubbed "RPG Alley" to try to attract fire from locals armed with rocket-propelled grenades. (Iâm sure this tactic is great for merkin morale) "Itâs mostly good for troop morale, but if we can put these posters up in Tikrit and the enemy canât take them down, then at least it shows who owns the streets," said Sergeant David Cade, a psychological operations specialist. (besides... he continued... Iraq is so drab, itâd be nice to spruce the place up a bit!) One of the posters shows Saddamâs head on Elvisâs dancing body, a gold crucifix hanging around his hairy chest. (ahhh really do believe thatzz an insult to tha king... huh...) Given fears in the Arab world that the invasion of Iraq was akin to a Christian crusade, some Iraqis say U.S. forces would do well to think twice about leaving the cross hanging around Saddam Elvisâs neck. "Maybe it is funny for the soldiers, but I think most locals will find it very insulting," said Uday, a 22-year-old working as a translator at the U.S. army base in Tikrit. Little Uday finds it insulting... I wonder why UDAY would find that offensive... Posted by: ----------<<<<- 2003-08-18 |
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