Read this description of a joke told by American soldiers and British civilian workers in Iraq during the post war attempt to reconstruct that country in the image of a Western democracy and tell me you are not hooked and do not need to read the rest of Emma Sky's book, "The Unraveling."
This comes at page 100 in the copy I found on the Viking cruise ship and Sky's account of the efforts of her wary band of Westerners trying to meld the fractious elements of Kurds, and Arabs, Shia and Sunni who the British had thrown together into an artificial country they called "Iraq."
"Why did the Iraqi chicken cross the road?
COALITION PROVISIONAL AUTHORITY:
The fact the Iraqi chicken crossed the road affirmatively demonstrates that decision making authority has been transferred to the chicken well in advance of the scheduled June 30 transition of power. From now on the chicken is responsible for its own decisions.
HALLIBURTON:
We were asked to help the chicken cross the road. Given the inherent risk of road crossing and the rarity of chickens, this operation will only cost the US government $326,004.
MUQTADA A-SADR:
The chicken was a tool of the evil Coalition and will be killed.
US MILITARY POLICE:
We were directed to prepare the chicken to cross the road. As a part of these preparations, individual solders ran over the chicken repeatedly and then plucked the chicken. We deeply regret the occurrence of any chicken rights violation.
PESHMERGA [Kurdish fighters fighting for Kurdish independence and statehood]:
The chicken crossed the road, and will continue to cross the road, to show its independence and to transport the weapons it needs to defend itself. However, in future, to avoid problems, the chicken will be called a duck and will wear a plastic bill.
1st CAVALRY DIVISION:
The chicken was not authorized to cross the road. without displaying two forms of picture ID. Thus, the chicken was appropriately detained and searched in accordance with current SOPs. We apologize for any embarrassment to the chicken. As a result of this unfortunate incident, the command has instituted a gender-sensitivity training program and all future chicken searches will be conducted by female soldiers.
AL JAZEERA:
The chicken was forced to cross the road multiple times at gunpoint by a large group of occupation soldiers, according to eyewitnesses. The chicken was then fired upon intentionally, in yet another example of the abuse of innocent Iraqi chickens.
BLACKWATER:
We cannot confirm any involvement in the chicken road crossing incident.
TRANSLATORS:
Chicken he cross street because she tangle regulation. Future chicken table against any request.
US MARINE CORPS:
The chicken is dead."
If that doesn't say it all...Ms. Sky's perspective on American soldiers (very religious, often simplistic with their "good guys and bad guys" mentality, trying to function in a world where sophistication and subtly are demanded but not possessed by the soldiers or officers) is remarkable.
This is one of those "it was even worse than we knew" books.
Ms. Sky tells the tale well, with an eye for the telling detail.
I'm not yet through it, but I'm hooked.
 |
| Ms. Sky with American soldiers |
This comes at page 100 in the copy I found on the Viking cruise ship and Sky's account of the efforts of her wary band of Westerners trying to meld the fractious elements of Kurds, and Arabs, Shia and Sunni who the British had thrown together into an artificial country they called "Iraq."
"Why did the Iraqi chicken cross the road?
COALITION PROVISIONAL AUTHORITY:
The fact the Iraqi chicken crossed the road affirmatively demonstrates that decision making authority has been transferred to the chicken well in advance of the scheduled June 30 transition of power. From now on the chicken is responsible for its own decisions.
HALLIBURTON:
We were asked to help the chicken cross the road. Given the inherent risk of road crossing and the rarity of chickens, this operation will only cost the US government $326,004.
MUQTADA A-SADR:
The chicken was a tool of the evil Coalition and will be killed.
US MILITARY POLICE:
We were directed to prepare the chicken to cross the road. As a part of these preparations, individual solders ran over the chicken repeatedly and then plucked the chicken. We deeply regret the occurrence of any chicken rights violation.
PESHMERGA [Kurdish fighters fighting for Kurdish independence and statehood]:
The chicken crossed the road, and will continue to cross the road, to show its independence and to transport the weapons it needs to defend itself. However, in future, to avoid problems, the chicken will be called a duck and will wear a plastic bill.
1st CAVALRY DIVISION:
The chicken was not authorized to cross the road. without displaying two forms of picture ID. Thus, the chicken was appropriately detained and searched in accordance with current SOPs. We apologize for any embarrassment to the chicken. As a result of this unfortunate incident, the command has instituted a gender-sensitivity training program and all future chicken searches will be conducted by female soldiers.
AL JAZEERA:
The chicken was forced to cross the road multiple times at gunpoint by a large group of occupation soldiers, according to eyewitnesses. The chicken was then fired upon intentionally, in yet another example of the abuse of innocent Iraqi chickens.
BLACKWATER:
We cannot confirm any involvement in the chicken road crossing incident.
TRANSLATORS:
Chicken he cross street because she tangle regulation. Future chicken table against any request.
US MARINE CORPS:
The chicken is dead."
If that doesn't say it all...Ms. Sky's perspective on American soldiers (very religious, often simplistic with their "good guys and bad guys" mentality, trying to function in a world where sophistication and subtly are demanded but not possessed by the soldiers or officers) is remarkable.
This is one of those "it was even worse than we knew" books.
Ms. Sky tells the tale well, with an eye for the telling detail.
I'm not yet through it, but I'm hooked.
No comments:
Post a Comment