Iraq beats Vegas, but who’s counting?

Ed Koch, Las Vegas Sun

Thursday, Aug. 23, 2007 | 7:23 a.m.

You might think that a weekend in Las Vegas would sound a lot better than a tour of duty in Iraq. Not so, according to a list zipping around the Internet. Top 10 reasons a soldier prefers life in Iraq to visiting Sin City:

10. Nevada has Harry Reid. We don't.

9. The mob doesn't have unilateral control of Iraq's infrastructure. Unless you consider Halliburton organized crime.

8. The non skilled laborers in Iraq speak better English.

7. Better entertainment. We got Toby Keith. Las Vegas has Carrot Top (right).

6. Physical fitness. I've lost 10 pounds since being here. I'd gain that in a weekend in Las Vegas.

5. There are no bums, vagrants or prostitutes at Camp Striker (in Iraq) - at least that I've seen.

4. Money. (I will probably walk away with more money in my pocket after 15 months here than I would in the same time from Las Vegas.)

3. The food. Have you actually been to the buffet at the Tropicana? Yuck.

2. The weather. (Give me 115-degree weather over 119 any day).

1. And the No. 1 reason being deployed to Iraq is better than . being a guest in - or resident of - Las Vegas: Less chance of getting shot.

One caveat: The list allegedly was written by a U.S. soldier in Iraq, but the Sun couldn't verify that.

"I'm not sure it's authentic," said Lewis Sorley, who forwarded a copy of the list to a Sun editor. "I think Striker should have been spelled Stryker, for example."

There is a Camp Stryker in Baghdad, but no Camp Striker anywhere in Iraq , according to a list of Iraq facilities listed on globalsecurity.org.

The Sun failed to trace the list to an author , but rationalized the failure by concluding that the source doesn't really matter. Someone wrote it.

If you can prove you're the author, you win another tour. In Vegas or Baghdad. Your choice.