Japanese army told to grow mustaches to "blend in" in Iraq

[lineartube]

Japanese army told to grow mustaches to "blend in" in Iraq (http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?sf=2813&click_id=2813&art_id=qw1075886642437B236&set_id=6)

"What a magnificent moustache. He looks just like an Iraqi," a Japanese newspaper quoted one local resident as saying.

That resident must have been Abdul, the village blind idiot.

:D:D:D:D

[Erik]

lol! I wonder what all the locals think about this... "Oh look! First the americans want to look like us! Now these strange japanese want to immitate us! The foreign men must idolize us because their women must think we are the most sexiest men on the planet! I will never shave and bathe again!"

[Golgo_13]

Would help more if they learned Arabic

[lineartube]

Well, showing respect for local customs and traditions is a positive step on being more tolerated and perhaps respected, for the job that they will be doing. I only see in this episode perhaps an excess of zeal.

:)

[qchan]

Here's a picuture of Colonel Masahisa Sato.(in the center) He does looks like an Iraqi! :D
http://www.nikkei.co.jp/news/main/im20040120AS3K2003220012004.html
I couldn't imagine that a Japanese would look like an Iraqi just by growing a moustache, but seems like he did blend in.

The other troop member made a short speech in Arabic at a press conference which included local media(journalist). After the speech, he also said he's going to learn Arabic more. I like how they show respect and trying to establish friendly relations with local people.:)

[Mandylion]

When was the last time a mustache stopped a bullet?

Bring them home

[aliG]

Originally posted by Mandylion
When was the last time a mustache stopped a bullet?

Bring them home

im not jap, but i know what patriotism is. and might i add this sentence is spoken like a true patriot.

[TuskCracker]

When did a mustache stop a bullet

When a sniper, half-a-mile away, could not tell your were an enemy soldier, in a group of people.

[Grachan]

It's always been a bit of a family joke that my father-in-law looks like Sadaam Hussein even without having a moustache. I can just imagine if he had grown a moustache and gone to Iraq before Sadaam's capture he might have been shot by the Americans!

[TwistedMac]

you didnt have to look like an iraqi to get shot by americans! did everyone forget about the reporters and british that were under american fire?

brits:"WE'RE ON YOUR SIDE!"
americans:"REMEMBER JULY 4th?!! FREEEEDOM!!!"

[Grachan]

Good point. They would have probably been too busy bombing British newsreaders to even notice.