And here I thought "Apocalypse Now" was weird. It sounds like Baghdad, U.S.A. might top that:
The Green Zone is certainly a world unto itself. Women in shorts and T shirts jog down broad avenues, and the Pizza Inn does a brisk business from the parking lot of the heavily fortified U.S. Embassy. Near the Green Zone Bazaar, Iraqi kids hawk pornographic DVDs to soldiers. Sheik Fuad Rashid, the U.S.-appointed imam of the local mosque, dresses like a nun, dyes his hair platinum blond and claims that Mary Mother of Jesus appeared to him in a vision (hence the getup). On any given night, residents can listen to karaoke, play badminton or frequent one of several rowdy bars, including an invitation-only speakeasy run by the CIA. At the Green Zone Cafe—where contractors toting 9mm pistols smoke hookahs while an Iraqi drummer provides entertainment—a sign on the door warns customers to empty their weapons before consuming alcohol.Posted by Jason at September 14, 2004 02:44 PM