Disneyland skatepark in Iraq?

Not exactly. The Baghdad Zoo and Entertainment Experience is being designed by the by the firm that developed Disneyland. Err.. wouldn’t that be Walt Disney? Sort of. Exporting American style amusement parks like Euro Disney have been about as successful as the Iraq War, and these are in countries we didn’t invade.

From the Times Online:

A $1 million skateboard park, the first phase of the development, will open in July. Parts for 200,000 skateboards and materials to build ramps will be shipped from America to Iraq for assembly at state-owned factories and distributed free to Iraqi children along with helmets and knee pads.

Shipping materials to build ramps? Is this going to be a $1 million prefab park? Do they want to make Iraq’s youth hate the U.S. even more? Does Haliburton own a piece of SkateWave? We don’t want to actually help the people of Iraq, we just want to make them love America. (Warning: Crackpot alert on that previous link.) This is not going to be a state owned Iraqi public park. The company developing the park is leasing the land for 50 years, so they’ll need to charge money. Are they going to give away skateboards and then charge kids ride the park? This amusement park will provide much needed jobs for anyone qualified to pick up trash on roller skates. And more good news, the suicide bomb bus ride will be an E ticket.

Photos: Background – AP photo by Hadi Mizban – A 4-year-old Iraqi child cries as older boys stage a mock execution Monday in Baghdad, Iraq. Children’s games are under a heavy influence of ongoing violence in the country. [Source: News-Record] Does that bum you out? How can you be bummed out when Mickey Mouse wants to skate vert with you? Happy soma skating with Mickey Mouse!

– Thanks to Doug Williams for the tip.