The brass section strikes up a fiery tune, the congas set the beat and Sergeant Cesar Castro belts out a fast-paced salsa. It’s Latino night in Saddam’s palace, proudly brought to you by the U.S. forces occupying Iraq. Behind the band, a huge mural displays combat troops in action, a US flag and the words "God Bless Taskforce Ironhorse." Standard issue M-16 assault rifles are placed against the wall, and dress code is DCU — desert camouflage uniforms. The musicians are all from the U.S. army’s 4th Infantry Division, deployed since April in Tikrit, a hotspot of anti-coalition activity and the hometown of ousted dictator Saddam Hussein, 180 kilometers (110 miles) north of Baghdad. Their inaugural gig a few days ago drew a small crowd of soldiers longing for the sounds of their native Puerto Rico, Mexico or Colombia after putting their lives on the line patroling the badlands of Iraq. The mood was a little subdued, perhaps because of the lack of rum or tequila, but the band managed to gradually warm up the cold hall in one of the three dozen palaces that dot the landscape of the Ironhorse military base. "The music connects us with our past, with the culture we miss out here," said Sergeant Juan Garcia, 37, who plays the congas in the band, called Fierro Caliente (hot iron.)
| It's fun, too. Don't forget that part. |
The 3,000 troops at the base include many Latinos, most born in Puerto Rico, Mexico or Colombia, but also in Peru, Ecuador or Venezuela. While they are all U.S. citizens or permanent residents, they say they miss the sounds and flavors of the lands of their forefathers. EFL |