The NY Times has an article about a travelling girly show called the Purrfect Angelz. I don’t mind the soldiers getting some entertainment, even if it is pretty lame. But it’s pathetic for the military to try to use the event to bullshit the troops.
A recent show began with an entreaty by a diligent sergeant who saw the event as an opportunity to appeal to the marines to re-enlist. He was loudly shouted down. An announcer who was traveling with the dance group told the marines not to pay attention to media reports that the American public did not support the war. The nation, she said, was solidly behind them.
Then the dancers, in revealing outfits, energetically performed dance routines that were more suggestive than most Super Bowl halftime acts — wardrobe malfunctions notwithstanding — but far less provocative than Las Vegas shows. At one point, one of the Angelz sang Lee Greenwood’s song “God Bless the USA,” a veritable anthem for many of the troops.
The event wound up with the photo and autograph session. Then it was on to the next stop.
The troops’ verdict on the tour seemed to be summed up by an e-mail message that an Army captain later sent the dancers from the base at Taji. He thanked them for helping to “make us forget about our jobs for a little while.”
Reminds me of the long ago discussion with a now lost friend.
I had been sharing FACTS and FIGURES and DIRECT LINKS to how Bush was cutting benefits, aid, support to the troops. A barrage of info… even shared StevenD’s diary about “How we really support the troops”
her reply…
But this married Marine I’ve been having cyber sex with for a week tells me none of that is true.
….
Why bother with facts when you get the whole truth about Iraq from a guy who sends you photos of his dick.
These are the very same people who eat up the ABC.FOX.CNN version of the world and news.
while ignoring the dry rot and termites…and I’m worried the American voters will continue to buy into the lies…
Pigs with lipstick 🙂
First of all, the NYT article has a photo of these “Angels” and I see many are in bikini type outfits while sporting rifles of some sort. I don’t think I’ll ever understand this American fetish of sexualizing violence…
Secondly, while I’m sure the male soldiers enjoy the T n’ A, it seems many female soldiers do not:
And wouldn’t you know it, it looks like Halliburton has some kind of involvement with this whole thing.
Also, it is mighty mighty mighty curious how both the NYT and last year’s SacBee article mention that the Pentagon supposedly paid for the Angelz but there’s no proof of it. So who IS paying for them?
Pax
Thank you Soj. I was ranting about it elsewhere how with all the female troop rape charges, the rape and death of Abeer, the 80 recruiters charged with raping young teenagers and all that has become a huge stain on our flag due to the other war crimes revolving around rape… Yeah.. I can see how this was a smart move to ship in some a gig like this. Not. Nothing about this administration and it’s use of the military makes sense anymore.
Yup the female troops are pissed.
So glad that Halliburton got another contract.
Why is it that no one knows a damn thing about anything in Iraq including who okayed this “group” to go?
Where are the Concerned Women for American and the other assembled defenders of morality and purity on this?
Thought not.
Hello.
My name is Dani and I am one of the 5 Women who this article was written about. Let me first say how honored I was to be able to visit Iraq twice now, once this past November… and now this recent trip in July. We go over in groups of 5 and perform a high energy dance and singing shows for our troops. We are up before the sun, and don’t usually see our cots until 1am or so.
Thank God we have a company sponsoring our travel costs to Iraq. Those flights aren’t cheap and we have a company willing to put their money where their mouth is when it comes to supporting the troops. The Pentagon has no comment… cause really…. they don’t know us. THEY DONT SEND PEOPLE OVERSEAS. We are not a USO tour.
Let me start by saying that the opinions expressed on this thread are 100 percent understood. It has been a challenge throughout the ages for women to be acknowledged as valid citizens full of intellect, creativity, and the power to incite change.
Sadly these ignorant and oppressive views are thriving. Right here.
Let me tell you what you weren’t willing to consider these “girls” do over there.
We spend time in hospitals. Thanking the men and women who are injured for fighting this war. Trying to express that everyone back at home is praying for them and is so proud of the hard work they are doing In Iraq. We spend hours in 130 degree weather with a 19-22 year old girls and boys who are at the same post everyday 12 hours a day.. seeing no one except the truck that brings them an MRE (meal ready to eat). We spend hours on our feet waking from place to place thanking every Marine, Sailor, and Soldier we meet for their hard work and diligence. They usually say how appreciative they are of our visit.
We are outfitted in long sleeved black track suits, flying to 2 bases a day. We wear 65 pounds of protective gear, we sweat uncontrollably in un-air conditioned transport but still laugh and talk with the pilots on the headsets about how much fun we are having. We try to eat a melted protein bars and laugh when it melts in your hands not in your mouth.
Them we manage a decent meal…… dinner. Where the 5 girls disperse throughout the dining facility and each sit at different tables. We hear stories, thank people for their hard work, talk about how awesome it is to be eating corn dogs in Iraq. We share tabloid news and what people wore to the Oscars. The men wanna hear about the beer we drink at Dodger games and the women talk of Sushi and white wine. We sit on the edge of our seats as we hear each of their stories from their time overseas. They all just want to talk. They want to share their stories, and do so with the knowledge that I take it as 100 percent my responsibility to come back here and spread their heroism. The stories of Iraqi children getting their first beanie baby. An Iraqi women being treated in a feminine clinic for the first time… AND THAT CLINIC CATCHING BREAST CANCER AT AN EARLY ENOUGH STAGE TO SAVE HER LIFE. These are things they are proud of. THese are tings we should be proud of.
And then we do a show. For one hour… we dance and sing our hearts out. In my one small humble way, I share my talent as a singer and dancer, hoping to steal their minds away even if just for a time. I stand on stage in a red ball gown singing God Bless The USA… as a dancer does a ballet routine in a beautiful white flowing gown.
They stand during this song usually. Lighters go up… hands are placed over hearts… and tears stream down my face when I first see them running down a 55 year old Kernels in the front row as he sings along.
Anyone can say what they want. But there is always another side. Our presence there doesn’t have to mean anything to anyone on this thread. But it does mean something somewhere……. to someone. And those are the men and women who shake our hands at the end of every night.
Thanks.
Dani