Free Republic

Jamie Francis has made two trips to Iraq, most recently in April when he and senior correspondent Susan Taylor Martin spent four weeks there looking at the war's effect on the country. On a warm evening in Baghdad's old Jewish quarter last month, I was taking photos in a crumbling building when I was literally pushed toward a Westerner with ivory skin and a red beard. He was lifting weights inside the Arnold Classic Gym. He wore black steel-toed boots as he grunted out exercises beneath dozens of portraits of Arnold Schwarzenegger. The Iraqis called him Mr. Nick. I was...

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraq's top gym changed its name Wednesday to "The Arnold Classic" to honor former bodybuilder Arnold Schwarzenegger's win in the California governor's race. The victory even had some Iraqis -- long ruled by another strongman, Saddam Hussein, until his ouster in April by U.S.-led forces -- calling for a new leader in Schwarzenegger's mold. Thousands of U.S. troops in Iraq, dubbed "Arnie's army" after the movie star visited them on America's July 4 Independence Day, were also elated. Fans urged the Austrian-born Schwarzenegger to follow in the footsteps of Ronald Reagan to the White House, although...

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraq (news - web sites)'s top gym has changed its name to "The Arnold Classic" to honour ex-bodybuilder Arnold Schwarzenegger (news - web sites)'s win in the California governor's race. The victory even had some Iraqis -- long ruled by another strongman, Saddam Hussein (news - web sites), until his ouster in April by U.S.-led forces -- calling for a new leader in Schwarzenegger's mould. Thousands of U.S. troops in Iraq, dubbed "Arnie's army" after the movie star visited them on America's July 4 independence day, were also elated. Fans urged the Austrian-born Schwarzenegger to follow in...