Tourist’s guide to the Green Zone.
Tourist’s guide to the Green Zone.
Noah Shachtman has found a “Visitors Guide” to Baghdad’s Green Zone on website of the U.S. military’s Multi-National Security Transition Command. The 2006 guide purports to “written by tourists for the tourist.” But as Shachtman points out, the two authors are more than just “tourists”:
One of the writers, a “Richard H. Houghton III,” was the acting country director in Iraq of the International Republican Institute. That’s an unofficial arm of the Republican party, chaired by John McCain, which focuses on democracy-promotion abroad. “A former U.S. Marine Colonel, Mr. Houghton, when not making the world safe for democracy, enjoys rodeo and weightlifting,” the Guide says. The other author, Patrick J. McDonald, “completed a one year tour of duty with the 448th Civil Affairs Battalion… He is Assistant to the Secretary of State for the State of Washington and is a confirmed war tourist.”
Capt. Matt Tompkins, currently on his second tour of duty in Iraq, calls such military tourism one of his “biggest pet peeves.”
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Yikes! A “war tourist”….?
How freaking sick is that??
November 6th, 2007 at 6:08 pmWorse than a “disaster tourist”.
November 6th, 2007 at 6:18 pmI’ve heard of “An American in Paris”, but never “A Tourist in Bagdad”. Is that a new reality show or something? Maybe I’ll tune in an watch it.
November 6th, 2007 at 6:21 pmCan I book on a tour on Obits, or do I contact Club Dead?
November 6th, 2007 at 6:21 pmYikes! A “war touristâ€â€¦.?
How freaking sick is that??
Comment by Leftside Annie — November 6, 2007 @ 6:08 pm
Took the words right off my keyboard, Annie.
November 6th, 2007 at 6:27 pm“No standing while the war is in motion, and please keep your hands and feet inside the war at all times. Only exit when the war comes to a full and complete halt. Have a nice day and thank you for visiting our zone of peace”.
November 6th, 2007 at 6:42 pmAnd notice that the Vistors Guide calls it “formerly the Green Zone”, in May 06. What the hell is it called now? Welcome to Iraqui Adventures?
November 6th, 2007 at 6:55 pmWhat an E Ticket this must be.
Vistors Guide calls it “formerly the Green Zoneâ€, in May 06. What the hell is it called now?
November 6th, 2007 at 6:56 pm– – It’s A Small War.
The tour should be developed for CEOs who will definately be ready to open stores in the Green Zone in the near future (2 or 3 FUs).
With the strength of the dollar against world currencies and falling energy costs we can laugh at Al Gore while shopping “Green” in the Green Zone.
November 6th, 2007 at 6:57 pmI see that its called the International Zone, now. This is a new one to me. How can this be; it is run by America, staffed by our money, and has the biggest embassy in American history, built on the backs and deaths of American soldiers. ITS THE AMERICA IMPERALISTIC ZONE-Dick Cheney, CEO.
November 6th, 2007 at 7:04 pmI imagine we could call it Vegas International.
November 6th, 2007 at 7:24 pmI imagine we could call it Vegas International.
Comment by ForTruth — November 6, 2007 @ 7:24 pm
Whatever happens in the Green Zone, stays in the Green Zone.
November 6th, 2007 at 7:34 pmWhatever happens in the Green Zone, stays in the Green Zone.
Comment by helenahandbasket
Thanks for that one!!! :D
November 6th, 2007 at 7:38 pmSo, we are not allowed to see the coffins of our dead soldiers; we don’t see any footage of the carnage that is going on, but it is okay to go to Iraq as a TOURIST?
Somehow I think that if someone is idiotic enough to do that, and takes a picture of something the administration doesn’t want us to know about — oooops! That camera would be history!
Why is no one paying attention to this stuff?
November 6th, 2007 at 7:45 pmOK, this is totally off topic, but…..
just kind of …..
..
weird(wierd?wireed? hyenas?)
anyway, CNN had an interview of Hillary by “Candy” Crowley just now, and at 7:37:07pm(EST) Hillary responds to a question with “..I would do something about that if I were President AGAIN….
The time is when she says AGAIN…
Thats the freaky part. I have it paused, and don’t feel like running back to the TV for the exact quote, but I listened to it 3 TIMES and it just seemed like an unconscious response.
Just kind of bizarre, that’s all..
November 6th, 2007 at 7:46 pmThere’s a special tour for big donor war tourists–you get to go out on a SOC mission and watch them shoot “bad guys’ ” family members and neighbors.
November 6th, 2007 at 7:53 pmThat camera would be history!
Comment by CVille Dem — November 6, 2007 @ 7:45 pm
I have a feeling the photographer might live to regret it as well.
November 6th, 2007 at 8:02 pmSounds like a nightmare game show prize, but then again this is Bizzaro World we’re living in.
November 6th, 2007 at 8:12 pmWe need some green zone web cams.
November 6th, 2007 at 8:44 pmWith the color-coded terror alerts, here in the USA, we have never been in the green. However, this place we have plopped down in Iraq, is called the “green zone”. WTF?
November 6th, 2007 at 8:46 pmWhy is there an Assistant to the Secretary of State for the State of Washington?
November 6th, 2007 at 8:59 pmi’m sure there are a lot of trolls out there who would love to go on a 2 week vacation to “the green zone”.
November 6th, 2007 at 9:04 pmOK, a tourist guide to the (?former?) green zone. A couple of dumb questions:
I am an American Citizen living in the USA. If I want to spend my vacation in Baghdad, what are the odds that I can get the necessary Visas ?
Assuming I make it to Baghdad and drive up to the front of the Green Zone, what are the odds that I will be allowed inside ?
November 6th, 2007 at 9:16 pmsee, it was all supposed to be PIZZA HUTs, McDONALDS & theme parks by now.
i know that sounds like im trying to be funny, but i am serious!
November 6th, 2007 at 9:22 pm*that* is what they thought!
“If you will direct your, coin operated, binoculars towards the left; you will see our latest air strike on suspected terrorists”.
“If you look to the right, you will notice the shiny new walls around the marketplace”.
“If you look straight ahead, we will have to debrief you and may have to imprison you or kill you. DON’T LOOK STRAIGHT AHEAD”!!!
November 6th, 2007 at 9:23 pm#25 don’t forget “hits”!
November 6th, 2007 at 9:47 pmBut, but — where can you buy the rugs that Lindsey bought? I didn’t see that on the map!
And where is the marketplace that’s just like Indiana?
November 6th, 2007 at 11:03 pmTour Guide….and over here is our new pool and beyond that is the McDonald’s, it’s to die for. Now if you look down the crater laden street here you will see our new open air torture chamber, gives them some more sun and fresh air. If we can go west now you will notice our newest attraction, the 500 million dollar Embassy, meant to last a life time….
The terrorist have won, we have become them.
Buck Fush
November 6th, 2007 at 11:03 pmHey trolls!
A cross dressing front runner with endless criminal associates.
Another Republican lawmaker using his position for illicit sex.
The chief ally in the war on terror turning, full fledged, dictator.
A President who still can’t speak his native language.
I like our chances.
What fun!!!
November 6th, 2007 at 11:17 pmI was so worried all those Blackwater mercs would be out of a job, now they can be tour guides. It will be great as long as they’re not in a bad mood, then they get trigger happy.
November 6th, 2007 at 11:26 pmCepan forgets aout those loonies that that went after Clinton for his fib while ignoring the Cheney fibS. Today, Cepan, thinks its looney to impeach a fibber.
Hypocrisy, go figger.
November 6th, 2007 at 11:39 pmthis ot but goodbye ernie, your right wing, swift boat smear was total flop!
(pat boone?!)
November 6th, 2007 at 11:46 pmHey Cepan:
Seek help….fast!
Your obsolete faith has been misplaced.
Your Republican master have shot their wad and now the mammals will take control again.
Did you know Bush can’t pronounce “nuclear”????
Could anyone blame Hillary for taking a lover? (My guess is that most people would say, “it’s about time”.)
What will you do in ayear when the truth regains it’s former respect?
May I suggest reading a book other than the Bible???
November 6th, 2007 at 11:54 pmMay I suggest reading a book other than the Bible???
Comment by pete — November 6, 2007 @ 11:54 pm
If you take a moment to review Cepan’s “post” you’ll see he can’t write, meaning he can’t read (or won’t, being a lazy-ass rightard), and that he has no idea what’s going on out here in the real world, where 70% of America hates Republicans with a passion. The GOP is dead, and we’re going to bury it!
November 7th, 2007 at 12:02 amI’ve got one Bart.
Iraq. The memories last a lifetime. 42 minutes. 41…
It’ getting late. G’night humans.
You too trolls.
November 7th, 2007 at 12:31 amForward these guides to the nearest State Dept. employees.
-GSD
November 7th, 2007 at 1:37 amCepan (Mat Toenniessen) Oct.21, 2006: “The true polls are showing many Democrat seats are shifting towards Republicans.
This could mean the Democrats are heading towards losing seats they thought were safe.”
“Rick Santorum will win his Senate seat because after the debates people of Pennsylvania saw Casey for what he is, a lightweight with no knowledge or truth about the issues.” [Casey won 59% to 41%]
“In Matworld (inside Cepan’s mind) the Democrats wake up on November 8th in shock and awe that they blew it again. They will cry foul and “stolen election†yet again, but they will be unable to face the facts that the American people do not like, nor trust them.”
Cepan predicted the John Murtha-Diana Irey contest was a dead heat and that the polls were biased. Murtha won 61% to 39%.
The Democrats won in 2006 by about 11.5%. In the 1994 Republican “revolution” which Cepan loves to blog about, the margin was 3%. You could say 1994 margin was 1% since it was 18% Republican, 17% Democratic, and 65% not voting. Quite a revolution!
Cepan says he has a graduate degree in Political Science. That must have been some lousy school!
November 7th, 2007 at 3:43 amAnybody ever get the feeling that the conversation on TP is manipulated towards not so much a progressive vein but rather one focused on the Bush administration and its more public advocates?
November 7th, 2007 at 6:42 amCare to elaborate, with examples that highlight your point? Are you suggesting that george soros is puling the strings here and we’re all lib-bots goosestepping along in our love beads and birkenstoks? Or have I had too much coffee? (Orgainic, Fair Trade, of course…:)
November 7th, 2007 at 8:04 amWhy is Steny Hoyer trying so hard to kill HR 333? The answer may surprise you…
http://willyloman.wordpress.com/2007/11/07/why-did-steny-hoyer-try-so-hard-to-kill-hr-333/#more-185
…or then again, maybe it won’t.
November 7th, 2007 at 9:41 amRather than just impeachment, or other than that, what would you suggest? Comment by Rovian Stormtrooper Commander — November 7, 2007 @ 9:50 am
How about waterboarding? After all, it’s not like it’s torture or anything, right?
November 7th, 2007 at 9:52 am