McMahon describes Iraqi visit

[Pennyroyal_Tea (admin)]

34 WWE Smackdown! Superstars and TV crew flew to Baghdad from New York on Thursday to tape the special Christmas edition of Smackdown! right in front of 5,000 troops and military vehicles. This time there were no Marriots or Sheratons, just one of Saddam Hussein's palaces and Army cots as their lodging! "It was a privilege," Vince McMahon said in an interview that appeared on the Stamford Advocate. The crew traveled on a military cargo plane and landed at Baghdad International Airport. Then military choppers escorted them to Camp Anaconda, just outside of Tikrit. The next day everyone visited the injured soldiers then went over to a special operations camp and a military police camp. The Smackdown! crew also got a one on one meeting with the biggest authority figure in the Gulf at the moment, U.S. Army Lt. Gen. Ricardo Sanchez, who basically directed the war in Iraq and led the capture of Saddam Hussein. "That was a big deal and thrill for us," McMahon said. "What a week. It began with the capture of Saddam Hussein and ended with a WWE live performance. That's as good as it gets," Lt. Gen. Ricardo Sanchez concluded. Troops warned the Superstars of mortar or sniper attacks and told them what to do in case of emergency. Then it was time to lay the Smackdown! in Baghdad, and they all just did that with 5,000 troops cheering in the background.

Credit: Wrestling-Online Newsletter