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I can't remember if this has been posted, but here goes.

During the 1st Gulf War, I had a chance to evaluate captured Iraqi army field rations, and I also interviewed a considerable number of prisoners about their rations.

Basically, the Iraqis of the era had no standardized prepackaged field ration. Instead, individuals and units were issued bulk rations, canned or otherwise preserved, to be shared among the members of the unit. Although there was an accepted scale of issue (officers & Republican Guards got more than the average grunt, by the way), under the conditions of modern war this went to the wayside in a hurry.

As I recall, practically everything was imported.

Here's what I remember:
-heavy loaves of dark, dense field-baked bread (looked like a rock)
-cans of "Foul Mesdames," a kind of broad bean popular in the MidEast (imported from Egypt, Turkey, & Greece)
-cans of garbanzo beans (Greece, Italy)
-small cans of tuna or sardines (France, Portugal, and Morocco)
-small cans of thickened cream (Denmark)
-cans of roast beef slices (Australia, Brazil, & Argentina)
-bags of rice from Bangladesh, Thailand, & South Korea

At the PoW collection points, we passed out MREs and German EPAs; the Homers LOVED them, even if they were pork. But then again, if I were starving, I'd enjoy MREs, too...

Hello,
thank you for this very interesting testimony.
It seems that the Iraqi rations had nothing to see with the modern armies packs.

There's a Egyptian grocery and many other Arab food shops near my street: it seems that the only canned food sold in the Arab countries are "foul" broad beans, chickpeas, chickpeas mash, chickpeas stew, spam like beef/mutton/turkey meat, mutton and foul broad beans stew, mutton and chickpeas stew...

Oh I forgot the canned milk and sardines (made in France).

I understand they were so glad to surrender

Interesting information, donald - thanks for sharing it. I definitely don't recall seeing this info on the forum before. I guess it shouldn't be too surprising that countries that don't have a formal ration would resort to regular canned food. After all, that's pretty much how rations started over here.

Heh, canned food is better than the rations anyway, as much as I love MREs a good can of ravioli goes a long way, but it sure doesn't come with side dishes and can't be counted on after 3 years. MREs are the shit.

I agree with you on one point : it's better to have a copious choice of regular canned food than a few bags/cans of rations but if you have only two or three different tins available, it doesn’t change much the routine.

In France, in the early 80’s, the "C" and "T" individual rations only included 3 cans : one corned-beef + one cheese + one pâté or sardines .
As a result we used to make a provision of canned food at the first grocery we could find: beans & sausages, ravioli, lentils, sauerkraut …
The instant noodles were a great addition to this diet when they started to be available everywhere http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xxep3_1982-bolino
There were many varieties of noodles, mash, rice... and couscous bowls.

Strangely enough, when the RCIR appeared, maybe 60% of the Bolino varieties disappeared from the market, I guess the civvies were not the main consumers

You'd be surpised at some of the nice delicacies you would find in Arabia.
Kebabs etc, but also some of their vegetarian meals too.

You mean fresh food?
I've been working for a few years with Arab customers and colleagues, it's sure they have a damn good cuisine, but it seems that the canned food is not something very varied there.

Like any canned food Stef!
By the way you have canned bread in your EPA, what do you make of that?
I quite like that German vollkernbrot.