Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Politics : PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: RON BL who wrote (384487)	4/2/2003 7:47:04 PM
From: Richnorth	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 769667

Troops desperate for tobacco Shortage making U.S. marines irritable in Iraq; some beg from locals IN CENTRAL IRAQ (AP) - There is a war on, and danger lurks ahead, and the marines of the 3rd Battalion, 7th Infantry are getting desperate - for tobacco. It's been two weeks since they left they relative luxury of their camp in Kuwait and their supplies of cigarettes and chewing tobacco are running out. They are rationing their precious supplies, and even begging smokes from local farmers. An army, Napoleon said, marches on its stomach. But for generations, armies have also marched on nicotine. And these marines - smoking more than usual under the stress of battle conditions- are getting antsy. "It just crushes morale," said Cpl. Jonathan Kibler, 22. With the few remaining shreds of tobacco nearly gone, the marines here face the prospect of being involuntarily enrolled in what could be one of the most successful programs to end nicotine addiction in history. It's hard to overestimate the importance of tobacco to the marines. Cigarettes are smoked at every possible break and the doors of many Humvees are streaked brown from the spurts of tobacco-fIlled spit that shoot out of the windows every few minutes. Tobacco helps relieve boredom, relax or stay awake for long nights, the troops say. "It keeps your sanity," said Lance Cpl. Brandon Phelps. It has been that way for generations. During the Second World War, cigarettes were included in battle rations; on ships, sailors could buy whole cartons for 50 cents, $3 less than they cost on shore - If they could be bought at all. U.S. Representative Lane Evans, a member of the House Committee on Veteran's Affairs, has said that, "From the time of the Civil War until 1956, the army was required by law to provide a cheap and nearly endless supply of tobacco to its personnel." That's changed. Since 2002, all Department of Defence facilities have been smoke-free though of course that doesn't apply to the battlefield. Despite the military!s best efforts, 34 per cent of the members of the service smoke, compared to 23 per cent of all Americans. While living in their tent camp in Kuwait for nearly two months, the marines were constantly resupplied with cigarette cartons and rolls of 10 tins of chewing tobacco mailed by family members or with tobacco they bought themselves at the PX truck. But there are no stores in this desert, though many marines swear they have huge stores of tobacco in the mail somewhere out there, there's yet to be a mail delivery and there's little hope for one soon.