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The real reason the U.S. invaded Iraq?

A giant sign, copying the U.S. food chain McDonald's, is displayed prominently at a restaurant in Sulaimaniyah on Saturday March 13, 2004 in northern Iraq

Golden Arches With a Twist: Iraqi Burger Joint
Rogue Opportunist Serves Big Macs at 'MaDonalds'
By TERRY McCARTHY
SULAYMANIYAH, Iraq Aug. 16, 2006 — - A Big Mac in Iraq?

Who would have thought?

On a recent trip to Sulaymaniyah, one of the main cities in Kurdistan in northern Iraq, everyone told us we had to visit the local McDonald's.

We had come up from Baghdad, where no foreigner would dream of going out to a restaurant because of the danger.

Kurdistan, however, is relatively safe and free of kidnappings and bombings. Americans also are very popular -- the U.S. Air Force helped keep Saddam Hussein out of Kurdistan in 1991 with the no-fly zone, and Kurds haven't forgotten that.

But McDonald's? Seemed odd.

From the car, we could see the familiar red banner with the golden arches, but when we walked in, we could see the wording -- "MaDonalds," the art of the creative typo.

If imitation is the greatest form of flattery, then the folks at McDonald's headquarters in the United States should be very proud.


Flipping Burgers

Suleiman Qasab, the owner of the fast-food restaurant, is certainly very proud.

He sells an average of 1,000 burgers a day, at $1.25 each. That's good business in a country where $300 a month is not a bad salary.

As it happened, Suleiman was checking on the restaurant while we were there.

Already in his 60s, he is a comfortably fed man with a constant smile and a roguish opportunist's instinct.

He spent many years living in exile in Sweden, where he picked up the habit of chewing tobacco, but came back to his native Kurdistan after Saddam's fall.

"I tried to get McDonald's permission, but they said that they don't want to enter Iraq because there is no democracy," he said.

"So I started this project on my own."

He imported some kitchen equipment, changed one letter in the logo, and opened for business.

Suleiman is unabashedly pro-American.

He says President Bush is his brother. In the window of the restaurant is a picture of the U.S. president superimposed on a football referee's figure, sending off a player with Saddam's face.

He even hosted Paul Bremer, the former chief U.S. administrator of Iraq, when he made a visit to Sulaymaniyah.

Suleiman says Bremer sternly warned him that he risked infringing a copyrighted brand, but the restaurant owner was not fazed.

He told Bremer that the day the United States captured Osama bin Laden, he would take down the golden arches sign.

He says that he still hopes that when McDonald's enters Iraq, he will be the first one to work with the company.



Copyright © 2006 ABC News Internet Ventures
 

source:  http://abcnews.go.com/International/print?id=2319431

 


Burger King now open in Iraq International Zone

Stars and Stripes

Mideast edition, Friday, April 22, 2005

BAGHDAD — The Army and Air Force Exchange Service’s newest Burger King in Iraq opened in the International Zone last week. The post exchange food courtyard also has a Pizza Inn, Gyro King and coffee shop, according to an AAFES press release.

The new Burger King averaged more than 80 Whoppers an hour, and by the end of the busy opening day had served 888 Whoppers and 357 pounds of fries. AAFES also offers the restaurant at Tallil, Tikrit, Balad, Kirkuk, Taji and Camp Liberty, the release said. In all, AAFES operates 31 fast-food restaurants in Iraq and has 23 more sites planned.

© 2003 Stars and Stripes. All Rights Reserved

picture source:  http://media.militaryphotos.net/photos/1asstorisk/abc

This Page Last Updated 8/15/2015


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