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.”
