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Middle East
Where Is Maj. Thorn?
2003-09-27
THE ship carrying 54,000 Australian sheep pulled anchor and began heading for Iraq yesterday. But the Federal Government still has to get the permission of the US Army to dock in the southern port of Basra. The sheep are expected to arrive tomorrow afternoon. As revealed by the Herald Sun, Cabinet this week nominated Iraq as the best destination for the MV Cormo Express, which has been stranded in the Middle East since Saudi Arabia rejected its cargo five weeks ago.

But there are still obstacles to be overcome. A US Army official in Iraq, dubbed Sergeant Bilko for his love of kickbacks, has warned Australia he will not allow the MV Cormo Express to dock without payment. Australian livestock traders have spoken to the staff sergeant by phone and named him after the bungling Sergeant Bilko, played by Steve Martin in the 1996 film of the same name, in which the main character spends his days on the base playing poker. The middle-ranking officer controls all supplies moving in and out of the war-torn country. "This guy just runs everything and he’s told us the ship has no chance of docking without his say-so," one livestock trader said.
Interesting story. False, but interesting. That kind of operation would last a month, at the outside, and Sergeant Bilko would find himself NCOIC of toilet facilities in Anchorage.
Government sources denied a newspaper report claiming meat-eaters could be hit with a levy to cover the losses, but confirmed the Commonwealth might buy back the sheep from their Saudi owner so they could be given to Iraq. Fearing a situation where future shipments could be turned away, the Government is considering asking exporters to contribute to a self-regulation fund. Under such a plan, exporters could draw on a pool of money if their trade negotiations fell through.

Saudi Arabia rejected the Cormo Express, claiming vets had found a high incidence of a skin condition known as scabby mouth. The Opposition yesterday backed the plan to buy back the sheep and give them to Iraq. "If you can cut a deal whereby they can be purchased back by the original Australian owners and given to the Iraqi people as part of food sustenance leading into the colder parts of the year and Ramadan, then why not?" shadow foreign affairs minister Kevin Rudd said.

Animal rights activists claimed the sheep would not be better off in Iraq. "Iraq has been in a state of disarray since the war," said Glenys Oogjes, executive director of Animals Australia. "If this gift of live animals goes ahead, the Australian public will demand an assurance that these animals be supervised by Australian authorities until enduring slaughter."
Posted by:tipper

#9  Thank you, Shipman, for that beautiful image.
Posted by: Mr. J   2003-9-27 4:43:01 PM  

#8   tipper >> Al lost the election. Get over it and go back to drinking your Thunderbird.

Posted by: Paul   2003-9-27 3:14:36 PM  

#7  Wherever they end up (the sheep, not the Aussies), somebody's gonna cut their widdle thwoats. Better to let them die of thirst at sea, say the loons.
Posted by: mojo   2003-9-27 1:34:54 PM  

#6  Animal rights activists claimed the sheep would not be better off in Iraq.

They will not be loved as they would have been in Soddy Arabia.
Posted by: Shipman   2003-9-27 12:58:30 PM  

#5  They should either name the guy or admit they made it up.
Posted by: Robert Crawford   2003-9-27 11:55:28 AM  

#4  rkb
My sentiments exactly. As Australia is a member of the Coalition of the Willing, this is the sort of thing that could sour relations between the two countries.

Phil_B.
Can't agree with you.
Sure the newspaper is lightweight, but it's not as loony left as the other papers, such as The Age.
Have you read their columnist, Andrew Bolt?
About as good as they come.
http://heraldsun.news.com.au/sectionindex1/0,5442,dhs_andrewbolt%5ETEXT%5Eheraldsun,00.html
Posted by: tipper.   2003-9-27 11:17:03 AM  

#3  What a load!
What do you want to bet Murat swallows the whole bucket full?
Posted by: Raptor   2003-9-27 10:42:04 AM  

#2  rkb: The Herald sun is a rag. About as reliable as the National Equirer.

ps, I have recently moved to Melbourne and the Herald Sun is not worth the effort of picking up never mind reading.
Posted by: Phil_B   2003-9-27 4:34:50 AM  

#1  As a US citizen, taxpayer & the wife of a retired US military officer, I was more than a little upset at this article. Either the Aussies involved need to report the "middle-ranking officer" for corruption or they need to publicly disavow this accusation. As in, immediately.
Posted by: rkb   2003-9-27 1:20:24 AM  

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