More Iraqi Urban Legends

I posted an entry back in 2004 about Iraqi urban legends regarding the American troops. Three years later the same urban legends still seem to be going strong over there. And a new article in Stars and Stripes lists some more:
  • U.S. troops eat children
  • U.S. servicemembers use poison-tainted bullets
  • Americans peek through women’s clothing with X-ray sunglasses
  • Americans’ berets are dyed with blood
  • Americans have a “cold pill” that they take so they do not get too hot in their gear
The article notes that the belief in the legends seems to be getting worse because, now that we've driven most of the educated middle class out of the country "the remaining population is likely to be unschooled and susceptible to the distortions.

Military Urban Legends

Posted on Thu Jun 21, 2007


Comments

Well, both my brothers can say that the "cold pill" is totally false. But they said it wasn't quite as bad as a Florida summer...95 degrees & 100% humidity. 😉
Posted by Maegan  on  Thu Jun 21, 2007  at  10:45 AM
The X-ray sunglasses one was in the 2004 list too.

Whoever invents that cold pill will be an instant billionaire.
Posted by Big Gary  on  Thu Jun 21, 2007  at  08:21 PM
I wonder if there have ever been any foreign troops anywhere who were not said by the locals to eat babies? For that matter, I can't even begin to guess how many times I've heard that such-and-such people use poisoned bullets. Some of these myths seem to be some sort of a natural law.
Posted by Accipiter  on  Fri Jun 22, 2007  at  08:32 AM
It never fails to amaze me how a population can embrace really outlandish concepts after you drop a lot of bombs on them and generally screw up their lives for generations. Next they'll say we're only there for the oil. Ow... I hurt my cheek with my tongue. Urrf
Posted by Hairy Houdini  on  Fri Jun 22, 2007  at  12:14 PM
Hey, can I get some of those 'cold pills' and 'x-ray specs' or are they only military issue?

Of course the berets are dyed with blood. You can only get red dye for clothes with blood, berries or Rit Dye. Blood being the most plentiful, since everyone has a bunch of it.

Just don't wash the berets in cold water or OxiClean or else you will have a white beret again.
Posted by Jim  on  Fri Jun 22, 2007  at  02:11 PM
I think they should and let it be known that all the bullets are dipped in swine blood
Posted by winston winslo  on  Fri Jun 22, 2007  at  04:12 PM
X-Ray Sunglasses!! I remember those being offered on the back of comic books for $1.95 during the 60's. I never got mine, but if I did, I'd have gone to medical school and use them to save lives.

I do have a cold pill I've created in my basement. The main ingredient is dihydrogen oxide. All I have to do is try to patent it.
Posted by Sounds Hokey To Me  on  Mon Sep 17, 2007  at  12:39 PM
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