This was a great story: Some guy from Florida has learned the secret of Sheikdom, or as the headlines put it, ‘Iraq Citizens Deem U.S. Soldier As Sheik’
To Horn’s commanders, his success justifies his unorthodox approach: no rockets have hit their base in the last half year.
“He has developed a great relationship with local leaders,” said Lt. Col. Bradley Becker, who commands the 2nd Battalion, 8th Field Artillery Regiment. “They love him. They’re not going to let anyone shoot at Sheik Horn.”
He has even won occasional exemption from the military dress code — villagers provide a changing room where he can change from desert camouflage to robes upon arrival.
There are downsides. In his small trailer on base, Horn keeps antibiotics to take after unhygienic village meals.
“I still refuse to kiss him,” joked Becker, referring to the cheek-kissing greetings exchanged among sheiks. “He doesn’t have any sheep — he can’t be a sheik,” said Becker, apparently unaware of the recent donation of the small flock.
Some may say he’s doing a tongue-in-cheek Lawrence of Arabia, but Horn says he doesn’t know much about the legendary British officer who led the Arab revolt against the Ottoman Empire in World War I.
He acknowledges some villagers are offended at seeing a foreign soldier in clothing usually reserved for elders, but he says this has diminished over time.
The sheiks told Horn they will give him an official document deeming him a sheik before he goes home in about two months. He plans to frame it.
And the robe? “Maybe I’ll put it in the closet and wear it on occasion,” Horn said.
-By ANTONIO CASTANEDA, Associated Press Writer
H/T John Howkins
ok, now some of those old jokes I have stashed away.
For Welshmen everywhere;) :
A small cargo plane flying from London to Frankfurt was having difficulty and the four crewman (Irish, English, Scottish and Welsh) were going to have to bail out. Unfortunately, there were only three parachutes. After much discussion, the Welshman said “The Englishman can have my chute.” He took it and jumped. The Irishman and Scotsman gazed on the Welshman in great admiration and praise for his brave and unselfish deed. The Welshman replied “It really was nothing, I gave him my knapsack.”
Another one, for the Scots:
There was a student at an English university,
called Donald MacDonald from the Isle of Skye ,
who was living in the hall of residence in his first year.
After he’d been there a month, his mother came to visit,
carrying reinforcements of scones and oatmeal.
“And how do you find the English students, Donald?”
she asked.
“Mother,” he replied. “They’re such terrible, noisy people.
The one on that side keeps banging his head against the wall,
and won’t stop. The one on the other side screams
and screams and screams, away into the night.”
“Oh Donald! How do you manage to put up with
these awful noisy English neighbours?”
“Mother, I do nothing. I just ignore them.
I just stay here quietly, playing my bagpipes.”