This definitely increases my sympathy for sexy gay troops. Let’s make peace not wark, OK?
Afghanistan
“Would you hold it against me?”
Another video of active duty soldiers, occupying foreign lands and lip-syncing pop. This time it’s US soldiers in Afghanistan lipping and dancing to Britney Spears. I am relieved to know that military service is not just about killing and violence.
(Previously we featured Israeli and US soldiers doing Keisha and Lady Gaga).
A pattern of dangerous penis-shaped technologies?
Amidst the fear over quakes, water safety, and radioactive fallout, I do not mean to come off as a paranoid conspiracy theorist, or even an antiquated “mother earth” feminist. Still, it is impossible to ignore, in all the dioramas, illustrations, and video footage all the penis-shaped technologies at the heart of Japan’s natural and man-made disaster.
Most obviously, the six reactors at Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant are all boxes (or were boxes, until the explosions) that cleverly conceal what appears to be a giant dildo of radioactive nuclear fuel rods, with torus doughnuts of water at the base and a steel containment vessel pointing this unholy mess of danger and energy sky-ward.
Japan’s protector/daddy/occupier the US military flew its Global Hawk man-less planes to take detailed images of the disaster. These are the drones that support the video distance warfare that delivers bombs throughout Afghanistan, Iraq, and now Libya. It’s good that these planes have some non-military uses, although I nearly spit out my drinking water when I saw on television these giant black penises flying through the air.
The storyline seems to be that we are dependent on reckless technology that happens to look like enormous penises. And that we can only contain the damage they cause by employing their similarly shaped flying cousins. We are then treated to a parade of government officials, energy company spokespeople, and nuclear epxerts– all of whom seem to be male– who promise vaguely that everything is mostly under control.
What is your favorite penis-shaped disaster technology?
Israeli and US soldiers make videos during occupation
There’s been a lot of controversy over this recently released video of Israeli soldiers dancing to Kesha’s Tik Tok while patrolling Hebron. Some critics complain of a lack of respect towards the people whose land they are illegally occupying. On the other hand, I think for every minute they are rehearsing their dance moves and editing their video, at least no one is being shot, harassed or intimidated.
A similar video came out of Afghanistan where US soldiers re-made Lady Gaga’s Telephone. The dancing is hilarious, as are the props. The higgly piggly background to their music making is surprisingly “real.” But again, at least as long as they are focused on music, dancing, and videos, no one is being killed.
Finally, I always have a soft spot for treason. Apparently Private Bradley Manning breached military security in Iraq and downloaded “150,000 diplomatic cables, as well as secret videos and a PowerPoint presentation.” One video he shared was a helicopter attack in Baghdad where the pilots were speaking gleefully about killing people. It’s hilarious that “military intelligence” (sic) prevents the use of thumb drives, but many of the computers have compact disk drives. Private Manning hummed Lady Gaga songs and pretended to be listening to her music when he was copying the files. NICE!
US soldiers in Afghanistan make Lady Gaga tribute video
I have never felt so close to the US soldiers in Afghanistan. Flame on, dear soldiers! (Via Savage Love).
“Obama visiting Japan as relations stiffen”
Relations stiffen? My morning coffee nearly flew out of my mouth reading the title of this New York Times online article about Obama’s visit to Japan. Normally this blog stays glued to what some might consider the frivolous topic of male vanity in its many many manifestations.
But I could not resist the topic of Japan’s new-found independence in foreign policy after reading this title, with its hautiness and resentment mixed with a “stiffening” attraction. It seems to suggest, “I hate you, and you’re turning me on.”
Apparently the US felt extremely comfortable with the LDP’s nearly 50 years rule and are chafing under new policies brought by current Prime Minister Hatoyama, whose DP won in a landslide last August. Renegotiating what the US calls “the Alliance” may mean Japan no longer accepts military occupation and the assumption that Japan will join each and every US war.
Despite Hatoyama’s clear campaign calls for a more independent Japan, the US government and foreign policy experts claim that the new Japanese government is “inexperienced,” unsure of what it wants, and perhaps not serious about its campaign promises. In fact, I think the US is flipping over Japan’s re-opening Okinawa base discussions, ending the refueling mission in support of the permanent US war effort in Afghanistan, and new overtures to Asia that do not include the US.
There have even been ominous reports of arriving late to a state dinner (the Hatoyamas in Pittsburgh) and skipping a welcome dinner at the Japan Defense Ministry (Robert Gates, US military chief).
It is sad how little change Obama has created. Not so different from Bush’s economic team and his military policies that insist on servile allies and endless foreign wars. But maybe the “stiffening relations” can in the long run reduce some tensions.
On second thought I am not sure this post strayed too far from male vanity. What do you think?
US Embassy in Kabul
On the same day the US is complaining about election irregularities in Afghanistan comes the report that the outsourced service hired to guard the US Embassy in Kabul is responsible for security, morale and and discipline breakdowns. Of course, the “fondling and urinated” caught my attention.
The oversight group’s report said that guards worked in a “Lord of the Flies environment,” where they and their supervisors fondled and urinated on one another. They cite photographs that suggest guards have drawn Afghans into activities forbidden in a conservative Muslin country.
The contractor since 2007 is ArmorGroup, owned by Wackenhut Services Inc. As usual, photographs will be appearing soon. Way to win the “war of necessity,” Obama!
Tokyo Moe 