crankymessiah wrote:
] ] Attention, all families and friends preparing to send
] ] "care packages" to U.S. soldiers: Not all gifts are
] ] created equal on the Arabian Peninsula.
] ]
] ] Powered-drink mixes, beef jerky, pretzels and chewing gum
] ] are fine, say the veterans at
] ] http://www.West-Point.org.Chocolate will melt.
] ] Flyswatters, footballs, lip balm, sunblock lotion, foot
] ] powder and other logical items will be appreciated.
] ]
] ] Do not send pork or tobacco. Do not send religious
] ] materials. And do not send pornography. In other words,
] ] send nothing that will bring grief -- or danger -- to
] ] soldiers in the lands surrounding Mecca.
] ]
] ] Thus, scores of religious leaders got upset when they
] ] heard about a DirectLink Media Group offer to send
] ] pornographic videotapes and DVDs to U.S. soldiers and
] ] veterans anywhere, with the soldiers paying shipping and
] ] handling charges.
]
] Awwww.

I wonder if the military already has any policies on this? Like, if a soldier has a copy of "Penthouse" in his personal kit, is he allowed to keep it? Or are they required to give up that kind of stuff if they're assigned to a predominantly Muslim country? I know that there are definitely guidelines on how servicemembers are to dress and act when in public areas, out of sensitivity to the culture, but I don't know if any of those guidelines extend to personal effects.

RE: A war of words over sending pornography to troops