March 21, 2004
WOE FOR THE WINE SELLERS
Slate’s Wendell Steavenson locates a fine collection of central Baghdad graffiti. Some personal favourites follow; hit the link for many, many more, from all sectors of the graffiti-Iraqi community:
SADDAM WILL RETURN!
And written underneath: THROUGH MY ASS!DOWN WITH AHMAD CHALABI, MAN OF CATS!
CHALABI IS THE ENGINEER OF DEMOCRACY
And underneath is written:
ZIONISTS SAID THAT!MASS GRAVES AND BAATHIST PRINCIPLES ARE TWO FACES OF THE SAME STINKING COIN
WE ARE BELIEVING MUSLIMS WITHOUT SECTARIANISM; WE ARE IRAQI PATRIOTS WITHOUT FANATICISM
LONG LIVE SADDAM, IN SPITE OF HIS FOOL CRAZIES!
And underneath is written:
SADDAM IS A PIMP; ASK YOUR SISTER!LET YOUR HEADS APPEAR, YOU BAATHISTS. WHERE ARE YOU HIDING? IN THE SEWAGE PIPES?
PATIENCE, BAGHDAD, PATIENCE, SADDAM IS COMING BACK SOON
And underneath is written:
TO FINISH OFF WHAT REMAINS OF THE IRAQI PEOPLE OR TO FUCK YOUR MOTHER?ONE SHOE OF MR. BUSH HONORS ALL THE ARABS
SADDAM HATED TEACHERS AND SCIENCE AND BOOKS AND SCHOOL BECAUSE HE WAS ILLITERATE AND IGNORANT AND DID NOT HAVE KNOWLEDGE OR A CERTIFICATE
WOE FOR THE WINE SELLERS AND THE VENDORS OF NUDISM AND LIBERTINISM
KILL AND CRUSH THE STINKY HEAD OF EVERY BAATHIST CRIMINAL COWARD TRAITOR AND BEGIN WITH THE HEAD OF SADDAM
SADDAM IS A WORD THAT MEANS A DISEASE THAT HITS DONKEYS
SADDAM THE DISGRACE! YOUR END IS TO BE LED LIKE A DOG BY A BLACK FEMALE SOLDIER!
RECENTLY RELEASED, THE MOST FAMOUS BOOK OF ITS TIME: HOW TO ELUDE THE IRAQIS AND THE AMERICANS FOR EIGHT MONTHS, BY SADDAM HUSSEIN
IS IT REASONABLE THAT THE GREAT AMERICAN CAN DO NOTHING ABOUT THE ELECTRICITY? OR ARE THEY DOING IT INTENTIONALLY FOR SOME REASON GOD ONLY KNOWS?
The formality of that final entry is especially charming. And I’m not sure why, but “man of cats” is devastating. An earlier Baghdad graffiti report is linked here.
Posted by Tim Blair at March 21, 2004 12:02 AMPriceless!
Whatever else the Americans have taught the Iraqis, they clearly haven't learned political correctness.
Posted by: PJ at March 21, 2004 at 01:00 AMI'm curious- are cats (and being associated with them) considered an insult in Arab society? I know dogs are; but cats?
Or is there some pun in there that didn't translate to English?
SADDAM ATE BEANS AND EMITTED STINKY AIR
Happens to most everyone sooner or later.
Posted by: dazed at March 21, 2004 at 01:31 AMYou say that cat was a bad man? Shut your mouth!
Posted by: Andrea Harris at March 21, 2004 at 03:03 AMI'm appalled by the fact North Korea has WMDs
Why are we not doimg something about it?
Posted by: Gurgle at March 21, 2004 at 05:35 AMDOWN WITH AHMAD CHALABI, MAN OF CATS!
Where have I seen this...oh yes!
In A.D. 2101
War was beginning.
Captain: What happen ?
Mechanic: Somebody set up us the bomb.
Operator: We get signal.
Captain: What !
Operator: Main screen turn on.
Captain: It's you !!
Cats: How are you gentlemen !!
Cats: All your base are belong to us.
Cats: You are on the way to destruction.
Captain: What you say !!
Cats: You have no chance to survive make your time.
Cats: Ha Ha Ha Ha ....
Operator: Captain !!*
Captain: Take off every 'Zig'!!
Captain: You know what you doing.
Captain: Move 'Zig'.
Captain: For great justice.
Just a guess, but "man of cats" might mean gay. A few years ago, when the Church of England was debating ordaining openly gay clergy, one of the tabloids ran a series on "How to Tell if Your Vicar's a Poof [sic]". One item on the list was "fondness for cats". Don't say that in earshot of any Bond villains, though.
Posted by: Uncle Milk at March 21, 2004 at 11:28 AMJust a guess, but "man of cats" might mean gay. A few years ago, when the Church of England was debating ordaining openly gay clergy, one of the tabloids ran a series on "How to Tell if Your Vicar's a Poof [sic]". One item on the list was "fondness for cats". Don't say that in earshot of any Bond villains, though.
Posted by: Uncle Milk at March 21, 2004 at 11:28 AMThe electricity one is interesting. Part of the problem for the U.S seems to be that its reputation is so high. It's a given that if they wanted to, the U.S could fix the problem immediately.
Posted by: Doug B. at March 21, 2004 at 12:11 PM"BUSH THE FATHER LIBERATED KUWAIT. BUSH THE SON LIBERATED IRAQ, THEN SYRIA, THEN IRAN. BUSH THE GRANDSON WILL LIBERATE THE WHOLE WORLD!"
love that one, but there is no grandson...could be a great grandson though, eventually.
Posted by: samkit at March 21, 2004 at 12:47 PM"EVERYONE, SADDAM CRAPPED IN HIS TROUSERS"
This stuff is better than the Internet!
Posted by: Sortelli at March 21, 2004 at 02:55 PMI know not with what weapons World War III will be fought, but World War IV will be fought with sticks and stones.
Posted by: IXLNXS at March 21, 2004 at 03:49 PMIX-- purple.
Doncha love it? I rather have to cheer for the officer quotes, though.... (look about in the middle)
Isn't one of the electricity problems that electricity is free, so everyone wastes it?
Posted by: Sailorette at March 21, 2004 at 04:13 PMIS IT REASONABLE THAT THE GREAT AMERICAN CAN DO NOTHING ABOUT THE ELECTRICITY? OR ARE THEY DOING IT INTENTIONALLY FOR SOME REASON GOD ONLY KNOWS?
Indymedia could save a lot of time and money and just outsource their conspiracy theories here. Of course Iraqis probably find Indymedia too "weird and out there".
Posted by: Quentin George at March 21, 2004 at 04:52 PM