Iraq

Ahead of attack, a race against tension

NEAR FALLUJAH, Iraq - For U.S. Marines awaiting orders to attack Iraq's rebel-held Fallujah, the bags are packed, trucks are loaded and letters have been sent home, leaving one final, preassault diversion: the Ben-Hur.

Blowing off steam, hundreds of Marines took their cue from the 1959 Charlton Heston classic and gathered Saturday at a base near Fallujah for a slapstick chariot race featuring cobbled-together carts and confiscated Iraqi horses.

"These men are about to face the greatest personal and professional tests of their lifetimes," said Lt. Col. Willy Buhl, commander of 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines.

"We wanted to lighten things up, take the tension off what we're about to do," said the 42-year-old commander from Los Gatos, Calif., who dreamed up the "First Annual Ben-Hur Memorial Chariot Race."

The Marine charioteers, wearing togas over their body armor, waved baseball bats done up as spiked maces and jumped into carts forged from vehicle parts.

Some 10,000 U.S. troops have encircled Fallujah, a city 40 miles west of Baghdad, to attack Sunni Muslim fighters there - if the go-ahead is given by Iraqi interim Prime Minister Ayad Allawi.

On Saturday, Marines packed personal belongings into crates, loaded up their Humvees and spoke of what they expected was the last mail pickup for some time.

Tension and anticipation ran high among the young Marines surrounding Fallujah. So, why not race chariots?

"Friends, Romans, Marines: Lend me your ears for the rules," bellowed the master of ceremonies, Capt. Jonathan Vaughn, 30, of Cleveland. "If all horses die before the finish line, whichever makes it the farthest wins."

Vaughn's rule seemed prudent since some of the horses didn't look in prime racing shape, although none died. And the race didn't come off exactly as planned: One steed turned on its charioteer in the first race and tried to bite the Marine, who fended the horse off with a wooden trident, drawing loud cheers.

Instead of chariot-to-chariot races, the Marines held timed heats. A weapons team duo prevailed in the final heat. The horse ran past the finish line, scattering Marine bystanders and slamming snout-first into sand-filled barriers. The horse was unhurt.

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