The United States turned over Najaf province to the Iraqi government today, marking the third such turnover since we invaded. It's not a huge deal -- Najaf is one of the most peaceful provinces, in part thanks to the heavy presence of Shiite militias -- but this detail from the handover ceremony caught my attention.

Who knew the Iraqis were such Ozzy Osbourne fans? Or maybe they were auditioning for "Fear Factor: Baghdad."

I guess if the insurgents ever resort to sending in small herbivores or suicide amphibians, these guys will be all over it.

This is supposed to demonstrate their toughness, but really -- how tough do you have to be to tear apart a bunny? Here, big guy, here's a wild boar. See how you manage with that.

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Man up.

No offense to their culture, but that's simply stupid. Ripping a rabbit up? Then biting the heads off frogs? Wow. I wouldn't want to mess with those tough guys.

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I wasn't born with enough middle fingers.

...they were 'freedom frogs'?

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"A man's work is nothing but this slow trek to rediscover, through the detours of art, those two or three great and simple images in whose presence his heart first opened."

ROTFL. Good one.

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"All truth passes through three stages. First, it is ridiculed. Second, it is violently opposed. Third, it is accepted as being self-evident." - Schopenhauer

They have to use frogs because they don't have potatoes. Not only that, but despite being awash in the stuff, there is no oil in which to cook the fries. So they eat live Freedom Frogs instead. The rabbit was just a show of force. "Y'all better stay in line. That was just an innocent rabbit and you saw what we did him ".

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I wasn't born with enough middle fingers.

If he had been innocent do you think Allah would have allowed him to die, even as his heart was being digested through the innards of one of the faithful? No.

Or - I hadnt considered this possibility - he might have been a 'martyr rabbit'? From whence his 72 virgins?

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"A man's work is nothing but this slow trek to rediscover, through the detours of art, those two or three great and simple images in whose presence his heart first opened."

That was a subliminal message they sent to the US. They just ate Bugs and Kermit.

It's probably a local military tradition, presumably to show how tough you are. In a way it's nice to see that they aren't cookie-cutter copies of the National Guard. Let's just hope they don't revive some of the other Iraqi military traditions, like installing dictators and massacring civilians.

This all seems funny to Americans...including myself. But I have seen some very crazy traditions around the world, including some the antics at the big-tent, Christian revival sessions where the preacher pushes people from their wheel chairs and stand up and walk, just to name one. American Indians where the really extreme, tearing out and eating the hearts of victims. Of course, many Anglo-American soldier participated in taking scalps and victim mutilation. As Raytri pointed out, our popular music scene, including Ozzy Osbourne and Kiss, does like to present a grizzly, or a grotesquely sex oriented picture.

I don't know the symbolism of frogs and rabbits...but I'll bet these animals an this ritual represent some abstract ritual. I am constantly reminded of the strange ritual brought out by this quote: "Apparently Mr. Gates has drunk the same kool aid as Mr. Bush. We're not winning; we're not losing. Yet, people are dying every day." Frogs, and Kool Aid...the world loves metaphors.

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Hobo
Charter member of 'Republicans Who Hate Bush" Club

How many fricking bunnies can there possibly be in Iraq?

But that's not near as funny as goldendog's "bugs and kermit" line.

Still, it does bring to mind that maybe these Iraqi soliders are more Elmer Fudd than we care to admit.

p.s.: frogs taste like chicken and live frogs taste like raw chicken. ditto for bunnies.