European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - March 17, 2007, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 10 stars and stripes saturday March i7j 2007 the few the proud Are among 300 fans by Tony Perry and Robert w Welkos los Angeles times to the us marines serving at Camp Pendleton Calif there is much to learn from the spartans those heroic warriors of ancient Greece whom one might have called the few the proud centuries before the Marine corps adopted the motto in the hit new film 300 marines see parallels Between the current War in Iraq and the films Story which tells of Hope Lessly outnumbered spartans fighting heroically to the death against mighty persian invaders at the Battle of thermopylae in 480 by there was periodic cheering monday night at the regal Multi plex in downtown Oceanside a few blocks from the main Gate of Camp Pendleton where Young marines attended showings of 300 on three screens some marines nodded in recognition at lines in the movie that were familiar from their training such As when King Leonidas instructs his son that the More troops sweat in training the less they will bleed in combat when the spartan officer says that spartans Are All about protecting the Guy to the left and King Leonidas played by Gerard Butler fights his Way through the first wave of persian infantry in the new film 300 right rather than being worried about themselves that struck a chord said pfc James Lyons 20 that what they Tell us All the time the rated film set Box office records Over the weekend pull ing in More than million meanwhile the film has sparked outrage in modern Iran which denounced the blockbusters depiction of the ancient Bat the As hostile behaviour which is the result of cultural and psycho logical warfare according to Reuters poo Quality pirated dds Are already circulating in Iran and a Broad spectrum of government leaders and blog Gers have denounced the movie As portraying the persians As dec adent sexually flamboyant and evil in contrast to the Noble greeks some elected officials in Iran Are urging other Muslim countries not to show this anti iranian Hollywood movie it probably comes As no sur prise that marines would like the film i barked and cheered my Way through 300 with two fellow Marine infantry officers who have shed blood and tears in the Back alleys of Iraq said Dario g pan Tano whose Book warlord no better Friend no worse enemy details his experiences in Iraq and his criminal Case on charges of murdering two iraqis he was exonerated and is now a sheriffs Deputy in new Hanover county no at a time when mounting us and iraqi casualties in Iraq have alarmed the american Public the movie seems to celebrate War militarism and Battlefield carnage the clash Between the spartans and persians at thermopylae was classic War Force on Force enemies looked in each others eyes no hidden improvised explosive devices one nation versus another the film 300 and the Frank Miller graphic novel on which it is based celebrate a Warrior cult that prizes physical fitness discipline and bravery How frequently did 300 re mind the Young marines in the movie audience of the Marine corps every second said pfc Zach Marino 23 talk is cheap How cheap try free softback to 9pm like to talk with soft Banks new White plan you can talk All you want from 1am to 9pm for that 20 hours a Day of free talking for just but its Only Between softback customers so be sure to bring your friends on Board and share in the savings softback 7q9sc Domestic Calls Only Calls placed to other providers or Between the hours of 9pm and 1am Are billed at receive a guaranteed military discount when you sign up for a new contract phone account available Only at on base softback kiosks visit us at Katsugi Casebo Yokosuka Iwakuni Foster Hansen Kadena Kinser Misawa Yokota Zama