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Monday, January 26, 2009

Beer and pizza on way to Iraq for soldiers' Super Bowl party

Schlitz beer, Lou Malnati pizza going to Iraq for GIs' Super Bowl

January 23, 2009

For thousands of soldiers in Iraq come Super Bowl Sunday, when they're out of Schlitz, they really will be out of beer.

Earlier this month, the top U.S. commander in Iraq, Gen. Raymond Odierno, issued a waiver allowing military to drink beer on Feb. 1 -- a break from rules prohibiting alcohol that were established in light of occupying an Islamic country.

But soldiers will only be allowed two beers, max.

By that measure, Louis Glunz Beer Inc., a Lincolnwood Schlitz distributor, is sending enough free suds for 2,016 fighters.

"It won't be cold on our end but I'm sure it will be in the future,'' said Glunz general manager Jerry Glunz.

Three pallets of brew, along with 2,000 pizzas from Lou Malnati's Pizzeria, will be packed up Friday and flown to Iraq courtesy of delivery company DHL.

Glunz said Schlitz has a tradition of providing beer to soldiers -- part of the brand's post-World War II dominance was because of its distribution to the military, he said.

At the height of World War II, the company advertised that one out of every four bottles produced went to American fighters serving overseas.

Drinking will be limited to dining areas and commanders were ordered to keep a lid on the partying.

Alcohol isn't illegal in Iraq but is forbidden by the Quran. The Super Bowl falls during a holy period for Iraq's majority Shiite Muslims.

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