Traveling Ann

For those who are slightly baffled at the image of two Marines with a "Barbie" doll, here's the whole story.
The weekend before Tony and Nick left for Iraq, a group of us took them swing dancing. Before we went swing dancing, they were both at my house discussing politics. I had mentioned that I loved Ann Coulter, Sean Hannity, et al, and asked if they'd heard of Ann having an action figure. They replied in the negative, so I quickly retrieved mine from my room. (My parent's had gotten it for me for Christmas.)

They got the biggest kick out of the doll and listened to every last sound bite she uttered. They joked about how great it would be to get one and take it to Iraq. We all laughed and I told them how it would be virtually impossible, seeing as it took nearly three weeks to get to me when we ordered one, express mail. Meanwhile, I plotted the perfect time to give them mine.

At the end of the night, I said that before they left, I had one last present I wanted to give them. I had wrapped the doll and handed it to Tony. When they opened it, they were so excited. I told them that there was one condition: they had to take pictures of Ann at every checkpoint and major landmark they encountered; if they were near a toppled Saddam statue, she had to be there; if they were near one of the palaces, she was too, etc. They promised me they would follow through and send me the photos, laughing about how cool it would be to have a well-traveled Ann Coulter action figure.

Nick called me just before they were about to leave for Iraq and said that as they were packing their bags and getting ready to leave (Ann was gently placed on top of their luggage), one of the guys helping them took the doll and threw it back on their bunks, thinking it wasn't supposed to go with them. Either Nick or Tony said, "Oh wait, the doll goes with us." Of course the other Marine replied, "What?!" But they were proud of their mini-pundit.

Sadly, our tiny Ann has been declared MIA. She was among some other personal belongings of theirs eventually bound for the wash room when someone took their stuff without their knowledge. They tried to find her, but to no avail. It's disappointing, and I know they feel bad, but at least they got these great photos.

To little Ann, wherever she is, may God protect you in that culture. Lord only knows what they might do when they find you. Barbies are a hot black market item in the Middle East...one can only wonder...

~Emily