Louisiana National Guard holds Iraq's first Mardi Gras parade

[Judi Lynn]

Louisiana National Guard holds Iraq's first Mardi Gras parade
By Chris Tomlinson, Associated Press, 2/6/2005 14:55


CAMP LIBERTY, Iraq (AP) Louisiana soldiers donned purple, green and gold and climbed onto Army trucks transformed into floats for an early Mardi Gras celebration Sunday, parading through this base west of Baghdad and pelting troops with colorful beads, coins and candies in true New Orleans style.

Their parade ended at the mess hall, where they danced to Zydeco music and were served chicken and sausage gumbo, red beans and rice and their first cold beer in four months. The beer, donated by Anheuser Busch Companies, was for Super Bowl parties, but commanders decided to combine the celebrations.

The climax of the New Orleans Mardi Gras celebrations usually falls on the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent. Mardi Gras in French means ''Fat Tuesday.'' Many soldiers in Iraq get Sunday's off, if their duties allow, so it made sense to hold the parade early.

Uniform regulations were suspended for a few hours as soldiers donned jester caps, feathered masks, capes and lots and lots of beads.
(snip/...)

http://www.boston.com/dailynews/037/world/Louisiana_National_Guard_holds:.shtml

[Lithos]

1. Good!

Many of the troops do not want to be there, so this at least gives them a bit of home away from home.

L-

[IronLionZion]

2. Excellent

those poor guys deserve to blow off some steam after the hell they've been through for our oil interests.

So, how many beads to see some boobies? whooooo!!!

[reticulatus]

3. Mardi Gras is a Christian celebration

That is bound to go down well with the Iraqis ... not.

[tx_dem41]

5. Believe me....I doubt their wasn't a 'whiff' of Christianity involved...

there isn't in my hometown of New Orleans either. That's what Ash Wednesday is for.

[burythehatchet]

4. ...and Halliburton is PISSED

they had planned to sell the army their Schlitz at $18 per bottle.

[sam sarrha]

6. and that Shlitz was worth every dollar..!!

:toast: :beer: :puke: :beer: :puke: :beer: :puke:

[Demeter]

7. That Is Truly Sick!

What are these people thinking?

If you broke into my house, and held a "kegger", I would have every justification to pursue you for damages in both legal and extra-legal methods. It's immoral!

[Bridget Burke]

9. The parade was on the base.

The participants were probably thinking that they wish they were back home. For some of them, it's probably their last Mardi Gras.

Lots of bluenoses think the celebration is immoral wherever it's held.

[proud patriot]

8. That sounds like a wonderful break for the Troops

:D

[Vogon_Glory]

10. Probably The Last One, Too

I feel for the Louisianans stuck out in the desert for Dubya's Big Sandy Adventure. I'm glad they got to celebrate Mardi Gras. But considering who seems to be cleaning up in the recent Iraqi elections and his intention of enacting Islamic law into the legal codes, I'd bet that this is the LAST Mardi Gras likely to be held in Iraq.