BRITISH troops deploying to Kuwait have discovered that they are to be
more than fighting partners with the Americans. They are also expected
to use their lavatory paper.
After stocks failed to reach Royal Marines now training in the desert,
soldiers are fast running out of essentials. They are even having to eat
American rations.
The American meals-ready-to-eat (MREs) are considered so poor that in
the build-up to the last Gulf War in 1991, US troops begged to swap
their rations for the British ones.
Officials with the Defence Logistics Organisation insisted that hundreds
of thousands of rations and loo rolls have arrived in Kuwait for the
British troops, but some of the stocks appear to have got stuck in
warehouses.
There had been some local distribution problems, officials admitted, and
the British troops have had to turn to their American allies for
support. Military personnel hated being short of the vital commodity and
tended to grab loo rolls when they had a chance to ensure a continuous
supply.
The quartermasters in charge of stores were, therefore, being forced to
ration loo rolls to get a proper sense of proportion among the troops.
"This is one of the reasons why some of the marines have been
complaining about running out of loo paper and turning to the
Americans," one official said.
Defence officials explained that, happily, in order to avoid too much
duplication, there was an agreement that the Americans would share some
of their resources with their British comrades. The Royal Marines are
already sharing the same US Marine Corps camp in Kuwait, and if there is
a war, the US and British marines are expected to advance together into
Iraq.
The food rations issue is expected to be resolved soon, but no British
soldier or marine training in the heat is going to want to rely on MREs
for too long.
After the 1991 Gulf War, discarded MREs were found all over the desert.
The Americans have brought huge stocks with them because one of the
plans is to drop MREs over Iraq to feed hungry Iraqis. Often called
meals-rejected-by-everyone, the MRE diet includes chicken à la king -
known as chicken à la death - and smokey frankfurters.
The British military rations, which include one roll of loo paper, boast
tasty delicacies such as Lancashire hot pot, beef stew, chicken pasta
and sausage and baked beans.
Copyright 2003 Times Newspapers Ltd.
Jaime
Isn't there quite a bit of material in those piles of rags Iraqi soldiers
wear on their heads?
Sim Peter wrote:
>
> "The Times"
> Wednesday, February 19, 2003
> British News
> Marines caught short by lack of loo rolls
> By Michael Evans, Defence Editor
>
> BRITISH troops deploying to Kuwait have discovered that they are to be
> more than fighting partners with the Americans. They are also expected
> to use their lavatory paper.
Once the fighting begins, the British soldiers can tear strips of cloth
from the uniforms of the dead Iraqi soldiers and use that as toilet
paper.
--
Steven D. Litvintchouk
Email: sdli...@earthlink.net
Making them sitting ducks, I might add -- just as were the British "Redcoats"
for the American colonists during the Revolutionary War.
"But what the hell," say the chickenhawks, "at least none of MY friends or
relatives is gonna be fighting, in any event!"
Incidentally, note how callously the same pro-war chickenhawk Jews (example:
Steven."the British soldiers can tear strips of cloth from the uniforms of the
dead Iraqi soldiers and use that as toilet paper" Litvintchouk) have responded
to the original message.
"Against the insidious wiles of foreign influence the jealousy of a free people
ought to be constantly awake, since history and experience prove that foreign
influence is one of the most baneful foes of republican government."
--George Washington, 1796
Spoken like a true Clintonista
No, I think you and your nickname, BJ, have much more in common with Clinton
;)