Actor Willis' $1m Saddam bounty (Go Bruce Go!!)

BBC News | 9/26/03

[areafiftyone]

Actor Bruce Willis has performed before US soldiers in Telafar, northern Iraq, and offered $1m (£603,000) to the man who captures Saddam Hussein.

"We're here to support you," the star told troops as he sang a set of blues songs with his band, the Accelerator.

"If you catch him, just give me four seconds with Saddam Hussein," he said.

Willis will next fly south to visit US soldiers in Tikrit - Saddam's home town - before performing two concerts for troops in neighbouring Kuwait.

"Somebody that supports the military like he has and that comes to visit soldiers - that's important to us," said Greg Pagan, from 3rd Brigade of the 101st's Airborne Division based at Telafar.

'Thumbs up'

"It's awesome," said commander Col Michael Linnington. "It's great for morale. "He's a macho actor. Soldiers identify with action movies and action actors. He's a guy's guy."

During an interview Willis said: "Peculiar thing back home is that the liberal media was trying to portray it as a bad war.

"But being over here just a couple of days, seeing how well our troops and the allied troops are being received here, (I) think the Iraqi people are happy we're here," the Hollywood star said.

Willis will also visit troops in Kuwait

"Children are being taken care of, starting being inoculated, starting being looked after. Wherever these guys go they get thumbs up. They no longer have to contend with the terrorist leader," Willis said.

But the star later admitted he had not met many Iraqis because he had been travelling the country by helicopter.

Willis, a Republican party supporter, was one of the few celebrities to publicly back the US' stance during the recent war on Iraq, which was led by President Bush.

Willis recently played a US special forces commander sent in to rescue medical staff in war-torn Nigeria in the film Tears of the Sun.

[JohnnyZ]

Our government has, I believe, set the bounty on Saddam at $25 milliion. All Bruce has done is make it 26 million.

American soldiers are ineligible for the 25 mil. It's an incentive for Iraqis.

[canis major]

Finally someone from Hollywierd makes the news who isn't an anti-American a$$hole.

[jmstein7]

Go Bruce, Go!!!!!!

[Luke Skyfreeper]

THAT does it! I'm rentin' a Bruce Willis movie tonight!

[LaraCroft]

Quite shallow of you to assume a few pictures for the press make the outing.

It's not creepy, its called A GOOD THING to be involved in your kids life to such an extent that you don't have to be a macho jerk trying to prove youre better than the new guy or something.

Bruce gets full credit in my book.

[BushisTheMan]

Don't think so. I remember that Bruce Willis was at the inaugural ball for Dubya...one of the few Hollywood elitists who support Republicans.

[tallhappy]

He's with Gray Davis this month.

[tgslTakoma]

From this morning's LA Times:

On Thursday evening, more than 100 people attended a $1,000-a-head Hollywood fund-raiser for (CA Gov. Gray) Davis at the Century Plaza Hotel. Guests included Beatty and his wife, Annette Bening, Jack Nicholson, Bruce Willis and other celebrities.

OK, now I'm even more confused...

LA Times reported that Willis was at a fundraiser on Thursday evening in Hollyweird, and the photo captions of Willis in Iraq are dated Thursday.

Could the LA Times be mistaken?

[Hildy]

The interesting thing is that Demi's boyfriend (Ashton Kutcher) is 25 years old. 1 year older than Willis' girlfriend, Brook Burns.

[theDentist]

I don't suppose Tim Robbins, Ed Asner or Martin Sheen will be doing the same.

Are you kidding? The audience is armed, and probably just a touch edgy.

[tallhappy]

It's not hard. The fundraiser was on Sept 18.

[radu]

Thanks for posting this, areafiftyone. It's great to see some of our Hollywood actors are willing to take the time to go to Iraq to show support for our troops this way. My thanks to Bruce Willis for taking that time!

Hey, RagtimeCowgirl! Morale boost for our troops {{{ping}}}!!!

[jonalvy44]

we salute him! he's front page at www.PABAAH.com as we also try to highlight heroes in Hollywood, too. If you get news tips, let me know, so we can post on our site.

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

radu, welcome back! Thanks for the post, areafiftyone. He didn't promote this at all. Good man.

It's awesome," said commander Col Michael Linnington. "It's great for morale. "He's a macho actor. Soldiers identify with action movies and action actors. He's a guy's guy."

Bruce Willis in the war zone to thank the troops, ping!

Bruce Willis for Senator from NY or California!

 Thanks, Tonkin!

[blackie]

Great stuff ~ Great job ~ Thanks dennisw!

[blackie]

Bruce Willis is cool ~ the troops like him and I like him!

[dennisw]

You're welcome!

[Vets_Husband_and_Wife]

BUMP!!

[Mr. Silverback]

OOH-RAH!

I knew I liked this guy so much for a reason.

[Netizen]

Organized religion? Bruce Willis says its days are numbered.

Not so far fetched really. People are turning to God, and not some building, label or organization. Just returning to a personal relationship between themselves and God. As it should be. imho