anyone else find this an OFFENSIVE/ RIP-OFF of OUR soldiers? (PHOTO)

[diamond14]

cheney's halliburton provides sub-standard food, forcing these soldiers into BURGER KING, where bushites fleece them, charging obscene prices....shouldn't ALL FOOD for OUR Soldiers be paid for by the pentagoon?? F*ck this war-profiteering, stealing the very LOW pay that OUR soldiers get.....we should DEMAND that OUR soldiers get Burger Kings, etc. in their LUNCHROOMS, because if that's what they want for food, they should get it....NOT pay for it....





US soldiers line up to order food from a Burger King fast food shop at Camp Liberty in Baghdad, Iraq (news - web sites) on Monday, Feb. 7, 2005. The Army & Air Force Exchange Service operates 23 fast food franchises at 16 U.S. bases in Iraq, with 25 more approved and under construction. Having a chance to skip the mess hall and go to Pizza Hut, Burger King or Subway - Popeye's Fried Chicken and Taco Bell which will be added this month - makes a tremendous difference, soldiers say. (AP Photo/Chris Tomlinson)

[bahrbearian]

1. "Owe my sole to the company store"

[diamond14]

6. exactly...reminds me of the old 'indentured servants'.....

why not FORCE the pentagoons (with their GIGANTIC BLOATED food contracts to cheney's halliburton) to feed OUR soldiers WHATEVER makes them happy....including Burger King....at NO COST to them...

[JanMichael]

7. Well fucking said. I'll add this: If we, The royal WE, don't "own"...

...the store then basically we're all slaves to it.

[ElsewheresDaughter]

44. st peter don't ja call me cuz i can't go....

[Grey Ranks]

2. What the hell are you talking about forced to?

The food isn’t provided by the military, it is provided by AAFES. They still have a regular chow hall. This is probably one of the greatest services we could have for soldiers.

[diamond14]

8. food for OUR soldiers is supposed to be provided by cheney's halliburton

if OUR soldiers want Burger King, fine...that FOOD should be provided for FREE to them, NO COST....no fleecing of these troops minimal paychecks....it's too obscene for me.....

[asthmaticeog]

41. Food IS provided free of charge.

Other things are made available at a price. Nobody's forcing anyone to eat Bruger King. They could eat in the mess hall if they wanted to.

Did you even *read* the caption under the photo? Here, added emphasis mine: "Having a chance to skip the mess hall and go to Pizza Hut, Burger King or Subway - Popeye's Fried Chicken and Taco Bell which will be added this month - makes a tremendous difference, soldiers say."

[theboss]

64. In college, I could eat for free at the dining hall....or...

I could pay to eat at the student center. I don't see how this is much different.

[Swamp Rat]

14. Feeding them poison while they die for GW's oil is NOT a "great service."

Wecome to DU! Good luck!

[diamond14]

28. probably includes lots of those 'stray-dogs' that have been running around

it's that FAST FOOD FLAVORING that make all the difference for those low-grade sub-standard meats....

and there's no food service inspections to assure proper refrigeration, cleanliness, etc.....

[Swamp Rat]

31. Whether dogs in Iraq or cows here, that crap is bad for humans period.

Just the product alone is poison, let alone the lack of quality control. GW should be sending American servicemen filet mignon for what he's putting them through. :mad:

[diamond14]

32. agree..for what we're paying cheney's halliburton...FILET MIGNON should

be on the menu everyday.....


these people are doing HARD WORK...and they should get some GOOD FOOD, everyday...to keep them healthy....

[anarchy1999]

65. You said it all for me Swamp Rat!

Thanks.

[Journeyman]

23. I agree, GR . . .

I don't know about "greatest service," but as the regular chow hall exists for all, those who want to partake of something else should have to pay for it. Same as if they were here stateside. Same as if someone chose to eat out instead of at home. . . it may or may not be better, but it's most likely going to cost more.

[diamond14]

25. since Burger King is managing to DELIVER FOOD in a war zone

for OUR soldiers....then, the cheney-halliburton contract should be cut back, with the extra money going to Burger King....


It's a WAR ZONE...not a military base in the USA....

[LynnTheDem]

35. And f*ck the troops who missed meals at the messhall coz it was closed

by the time they get off duty.

[Journeyman]

40. You've never been in the military, have you? . . .

n/t

[LynnTheDem]

42. Exsqueeze me???? I'm at Ft. Hood. Husband is 4th ID active duty officer

Just recently back from Iraq.

Now, what would you like to know about the FACTS?

FACT: messhalls in Iraq are not 24/7; they CLOSE between each meal; most are open for each of the 3 meals from 1-2 hours

After dinner meal the messhalls are CLOSED and troops who were unable to get to the messhall during feeding times are SOL.

So. Care to explain your snide remark? And while you're at it, tell me all about your military experience in Iraq.

[Journeyman]

43. Then why are you not aware of the hours a messhall is open?. . .

Let's get excited about important issues. It'd do everyone a bit more good.

[LynnTheDem]

45. Ummm gee, I think I AM aware of exactly when messhalls are open

Too bad you are not.

[Grey Ranks]

47. It Depends

Mess hall times vary from base to base. Especially from those in CONUS, which do close. Are you sure that any of the mess halls in Iraq close, that would be highly unusual. I know that many are 24/7.

[LynnTheDem]

55. No US army messhalls are 24/7

Only AF and select brigade level MP units have any 24-7.

And yes, actually, I'm sure that messhalls in Iraq close between meals.

[bahrbearian]

58. They seem to be open after midnite when the Prezeldent

brings a plastic turkey.

[LynnTheDem]

62. But only for a pre-screened troops; other troops were turned away

And any who then had to go on duty just had to go without their Thanksgiving meal or eat an MRE:

Stars and Stripes is blowing the whistle on President Bush's Thanksgiving visit to Baghdad, saying the cheering soldiers who met him were pre-screened and others showing up for a turkey dinner were turned away.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A57870-2003Dec11?language=printer

[DistantWind88]

59. AF dining facilities

are not 24/7.

[LynnTheDem]

61. Hurlburt Field, Fla., 24-7

I've eaten at quite a few of them overseas. Rhein-Main had a superb 24-7 DF.

[Journeyman]

49. And what would those hours be. . .

that would have the messhall closed while a burger joint is open?

The messhalls on every base I ever served on were open for -- at a minimum -- four meal services: breakfast, lunch, dinner, and midnight meal. While in combat zones, food was available whenever I needed it, either through the messhall or through flight services.

I think I've wasted enough time answering meaningless posts about fast food and messhall hours. So to repeat, let's get excited about issues that'll make a difference. . .

[LynnTheDem]

52. Depends when logpac comes in

They serve on average 0730-0900 breakfast; 1130-1300 lunch; 1630-1800 dinner.

No such thing as a "midnight meal" except for heavy MP units and the Air Force.

[alittlelark]

34. They can eat the wretched surplus sh*t that Halliburton serves them...

...or they can eat the overpriced slightly better sh*t they get at Burger King.


Our Soldiers, albeit serving in an evil war (through no fault of their own), deserve the finest feasts our society can offer. They are risking all. They deserve the best of the best FOR FREE!!!!!

[mike_c]

3. kind of OT, but I resume that a customer who's armed to the teeth...

...is ALWAYS right. Have it your way!

[Taxloss]

4. I believe Burger King is British-owned.

Isn't it owned by Diageo? This must be our payback for all that blood and treasure Blair has poured into Iraq.

[henrik larssonisking]

5. i gotta say that giving the troops a taste of home

is always a good thing, if they didnt want burger king, popeyes etc they wouldnt go.

[tabasco]

9. Relax - nobody's forcing them to patronize Burger King.

They can eat in the mess hall for free or eat a burger if they want.

[diamond14]

10. halliburton's food for OUR soldiers is a nightmare....there have been

NUMEROUS Congressional Hearings over cheney's halliburton FOOD contracts, because OUR soldiers get food with FECES in it...undercooked, bad meat, etc.....and $$$ MILLIONS stolen, because the food wasn't even delivered, but it was billed....


soooooo...they go over to Burger King, and the BUSHITES charge them obscene prices against their meager paychecks for a decent bite to eat....(decent?)....


Burger Kings and WHATEVER MAKES OUR SOLDIERS HAPPY should be provided at NO COST to our soldiers...they are fighting in a WAR ZONE and deserve whatever they want.....

[tabasco]

15. Well, I'm totally against privatizing the food service ...

like they did, and Halliburton is providing sub-standard service, no doubt.

And being an Army vet myself, I'm not opposed to giving troops free Burger King.

Hell yeah ! Take it out of Halliburton's billions.

Great idea, but in the meantime I'm not outraged that soldiers can buy a burger if they want.

[mike_c]

22. that's the most un-American thing I've read today....

...I'm not opposed to giving troops free Burger King.

Give food to people who've earned it by their labor without charging them for it so the food corporation can make a profit from their hunger? Why, that's..., it's..., SOCIALISM!

[Swamp Rat]

16. Plus, Burger Krap is a horrible alternative.

:mad:

GW should be sending them T-bone steaks from Texas for FREE!

[HysteryDiagnosis]

20. I wouldn't chance the messhall if I didn't have to after what happened

a month ago....

[LynnTheDem]

37. And f*ck the troops who miss meals coz messhall is closed when they get

off duty.

[diamond14]

38. that's the bushites: don't feed them at all if they get there late....

they're just cheap CANNON FODDER to the bush* minions....

[LynnTheDem]

39. Yep.

I guess some posters think the messhalls are open 24/7 or our troops in Iraq only work 7am-4pm.

Some posters are also unaware of the fact that the messhalls CLOSE between each meal, so unless troops are at the messhalls during the 1-2hrs open for each of the 3 meals, OH WELL.

[TacticalPeek]

11. I'd much prefer a Croissanwich

to somethingfamous on a shingle.

:)

[Jack_DeLeon]

12. Geez calm the fuck down...

Do you really think that soliders want to eat chow hall food and MREs 24/7/365, even if it is free?

BTW Double Whooper with cheese = teh win.

[diamond14]

13. I think the Burger Kings should be FREE too....just to give them a break..

the pentagoon should absorb the cost of the Burger King as part of their BLOATED-and-CORRUPT cheney-halliburton "TROOP FOOD-contract"....


just take the costs out of the halliburton contract.....



what's offensive and obscene is CHARGING OUR TROOPS in a war zone for a bite to eat.....


bushites making obscene profits from our soldiers meager paychecks...most will come home with little money left to support their families, after the bushites get done FLEECING THEM....

[vpigrad]

17. Why should they get it free?

The rest of us have to pay for our own food, so why shouldn't bushie's thugs also pay for their own?

[otohara]

18. BK Gives Money To Dems

if that helps you feel better about this pic. Better BK than McDonald's -

On the other hand, shouldn't there be Iraqi stands selling... Oh, I don't know - I'm sure there's something yummy in pita bread available in Iraq?

Hell, I live near in an area where there are many small restaurants from Syria, Morraco, Iran, - yummy food at all. Cheap too!

[henrik larssonisking]

19. mmmmmmmmm kebabs

[Axo1ot1]

36. So the Democrats can defend their empire of fat?

The fact that the Democrats accept lots of corporate contributions from companies like this reflects poorly on the Democrats, not positively on the corporations.

[artfan]

21. Food for those in the military is NOT free!!

The military pays people a 'base' amount and a series of 'allowances' this way they can take away pay under some circumstances and say it is 'free'.

people on ships or 'deployed' and even in the hospital lose their 'comrats' pay which covers the cost of food.

the same goes for housing if you look at military pay charts you will see how it works

[RoeBear]

24. It's just amazing what people get their panties in a bunch about here...

these days.

Yesterday it was a picture of SoS Rice laying a wreath at a memorial in Jerusalem; today it's soldiers buying a treat at Burger King.

RELAX PEOPLE!

[MisterP]

26. so you're outraged by the outrage

[RoeBear]

29. Not so much outraged as baffled

by all the shallow thinking going on here lately.

[Stinky The Clown]

27. This is neither bad nor unAmerican

AAFES has been around a long damn time and, by charter, gives the entirety of its profit back to the *people* who are the military. The Navy (and USMC) has a near-identical program.

This link explains a bit more.

http://www.aafes.com/pa/Corporate_Profile.htm

As to the guys in the picture choosing to go to a Burger King, that was their free choice. Even in high end civilian employee dining rooms, many people opt to eat elsewhere. Indeed, even in those now very few places where employee meals are actually free, people still choose to eat elsewhere. Kinda like when *you* choose to eat at a restaurant instead of at home. This is no different.

There are a bazillion things we can criticize and get angry about. This is not one of them.

[diamond14]

30. AAFES does not OWN the Burger King...they make money off leasing the space

but the real PROFITS go to the STOCKHOLDERS OF BURGER KING, who are Patriotically FLEECING OUR SOLDIERS at the Company Store ("I sold my soul to the Company Store" from the INDENTURED SERVANT era of the USA, returned to us again by the bush* war-profiteers).....

[Stinky The Clown]

33. In the leasing

comes the profit. From the profits come the programs.

And, by the way, profit is not a bad word.

Obscene profits, on the other hand ......

[frankly_fedup2]

51. so THAT'S where that $9 billion went to. I knew it had to be something

simple.

I just cannot understand how CPA's can lose $9 BILLION on their ledgers. It's really bumfuzzling to us who have worked in accounting for years.

[solinvictus]

46. This is the same as on post...

We had BK on base at Ft. Jackson and Ft. Sam Houston and believe me, after weeks of mystery meat, a Whopper, fries, and strawberry shake was a damn fine treat. I do, however, hope the troops aren't being gouged.

[diamond14]

50. they are being GOUGED big time..,WHOPPER gouged....

that's what's so disgusting.....some of cheney-halliburton FOOD CONTRACT money should be used to PAY FOR a few Burger Kings, and other fast food places for OUR SOLDIERS to eat for FREE...24/7....maybe some of those wrapped sandwiches, fresh fruit, etc. could also be available 24/7, just like in every American supermarket (hard-boiled eggs, packaged salads, sandwiches, cold chicken, etc. etc.)... food to go all-the-time 24/7.....


in a WAR ZONE...there may be good reason that you can't get to a mess hall during the real restricted cheney-halliburton war-profiteering hours....these other alternatives should be available, AND PAID FOR BY OUR MILITARY BUDGETS....


for the money that is being WASTED by cheney-halliburton, OUR soldiers could be eating FILET MIGNON and LOBSTER every night.....

[frankly_fedup2]

48. Well, I'm sure that is one thing that can make your day a little

better. I know I'm happier when I have chocolate.

I wonder if the Iraqi people with their food ration cards can use them for some of the American fast foods?

[begin_within]

53. Burger King? No wonder we're losing.

[deadparrot]

54. Considering their jobs...

should they be eating more nutritious food? Hell, forget nutritious food, shouldn't they just be able to eat food, period?

[begin_within]

56. At least at Subway they COULD get something fairly healthy, if they ask...

[DistantWind88]

60. Burger Kings and the like are

seen as a good deal by the troops. Sure they can eat in the chow hall, but sometimes you just NEED a Whopper!

[ultraist]

57. War profiteering is despicable and immoral!

Allowing these big corps to profit off of war is immoral. Those huge profit companies should be making donations not inflating their bottom line off of WAR!

WAR SHOULD NOT BE ABOUT BIG BUSINESS MAKING BIG BUCKS!

KEEP THE FUCKING FOR PROFIT CAPITALISM AT HOME AND OUT OF WAR!

Throw in the fact that some soldiers are going hungry and must PAY for their food to pump up the bottom line of big corporations and OMG!!! WTF is wrong with this administration?

[ArkDem]

63. Yes it is. They should only be allowed to spend their money

on wholesome and healthy items. They aren't smart enough to know what they want.

[Junkdrawer]

66. Self delete - Posted wrong spot...

[Junkdrawer]

67. Pentagon apologists aside, there's something kind of surreal about...

a Burger King in a war zone. What's next, a Hummer dealership?

But I guess the photo was trying to assure all of us that Iraq is NOT a war zone.

[Contrary1]

68. I read months ago

where the troops in some areas were lucky to get one meal a day.
Some risked their lives to go purchase fast food for themselves and
others. It wasn't a luxury, they were hungry.

I don't know if this situation is still going on now. However, I would
think that many of them don't have access to a mess hall in some of
the more remote areas, and are stuck with those wonderful MREs.