Iraqi girlfriends capture GI hearts

Atlanta Journal-Constitution ^ | 08/29/03 | LARRY KAPLOW

[nathanbedford]

If these guys were white-bread, cracker, honkey-American soldiers, why was their race not stated in the article?

It should have been, it would have made more interesting copy and sold more newspapers. Why wasn't it mentioned?

[RoughDobermann]

Why wasn't it mentioned?

Oh, I don't know. Perhaps because it's irrelevant to the story?

[nathanbedford]

Why wasn't it mentioned? Oh, I don't know. Perhaps because it's irrelevant to the story?

No, you are not going to get away with that. Clearly, the race of the men who converted to Islam is relevent. If they were white Americans it is an extroadinary, fascinating story; if they were Afro-American, it is just one more example of a phenomenem which happens daily in black America.

[Citizen Tom Paine]

I was wondering how long it would take for the first marrage to take place.

I can recall guys that wanted to marry after the first night it a foreign port.

[Mr. Mojo]

Islamic conversion--its like a virus!

It sure is. Is it too much to ask to occasionally read a story about an American soldier who falls in love with an Islamic women and then she converts to his religion?

[Rutabega]

Got it!

And as I am not a complete cynic--from my knowledge of Iraqui girls here, they do seem to assimilate faster than other middle easterner's as they dress western, are (for the most) well educated and have a pretty secular outlook. I wouldn't be surprised at all if they fit in to their new homes in Florida easily.

[nathanbedford]

phenomenem

Pardon the spelling, it seems I have a bunch of indignant posters to respond to in short time.

Thanks for your input.

[Psalm 73]

"...Not like the monkeys you find in Ramallah, Amman and Cairo."

Oh, hey, come on, now - isn't that just a tad racist?
BTW - I've seen some drop-dead gorgeous girls in the West Bank.....

[Mr. Mojo]

Now, he is trying to figure out how to bring his wife.......to the Pensacola area,

Hopefully they won't get into the Florida flight school business when they return.

[RoughDobermann]

I'm not trying to get away with anything, thanks. Perhaps the race of the soldiers wasn't mentioned because it has nothing to do with the story. This isn't a story about converting to Islam; it's a story about two American soldiers marrying two Iraqi women. If you are going to inject race into it, why not inject how wealthy the two women are, or how attractive they are, or how large their breasts are?

[RoughDobermann]

If these were Afro-American soldiers, why was their race not stated in the article?

As you've now stated, if these soldiers are black and converted to Islam, that would not be big news, would it? Therefore, why should it be mentioned in the story?

[mtbopfuyn]

Where's the gag alert? Yes, discharge the soldiers and let them live happily ever after, or 30 days whichever comes first, in the Iraqi street. Like anyone believes the gals weren't after a free trip to the US. Of course the soldiers were following their other heads in not demanding the gals become Christians. What was the rush to the alter? Seems with all the picnics and disruptive visits to the soldiers' duty posts (hello, commander!) they had enough smoozing to wait until closer to time to come home, unless there's a couple little Saddams on the way. Now comes the problem of taking troops off their assigned duties to guard the wives. Geez.

[Pokey78]

How large ARE their breasts? ;-)

[nathanbedford]

'm not trying to get away with anything, thanks. Perhaps the race of the soldiers wasn't mentioned because it has nothing to do with the story.

But it is in fact a story about converting to Islam. It says it here:

In spite of the prohibition, the soldiers -- converted to Islam in an Iraqi court a couple of weeks before the ceremony.

[caltrop]

I realize this is a neocon's worst nightmare but get over it. You're talking about American citizens currently risking their lives overseas. They, and their new wives, are welcome in the US. If you can't handle that, feel free to go live somewhere else.

[wardaddy]

to piss you off...lol

[bmwcyle]

Nothing new here. If you send an American anywhere, they will bring home women. Some guys just can't leave it where they found it.

[RoughDobermann]

to piss you off...lol

He's not doing a very good job.

[nathanbedford]

As you've now stated, if these soldiers are black and converted to Islam, that would not be big news, would it? Therefore, why should it be mentioned in the story?

Why then was it published? Not to mention race in the American context is to be misleading for all the reasons I pointed out in previous posts.

In our mania to be politiclly correct, we, even you and me here on Free Republic, permit ourselves to be manipulated

[RoughDobermann]

But it is in fact a story about converting to Islam. It says it here:

No, actually it isn't. One must be a Muslim to maryy a Muslim woman. Therefore, these two soldiers had to convert to Islam in order to get married. Again, this is a story about two American soldiers marrying to Iraqi women, nothing more.