Onion News Network

The Onion

Today Now! We have some sad news coming out of Iraq this morning, where military officials are announcing, the death of Liberty, the US Army's Mascot, killed by a road side bomb. The big, lovable dog, became a national celebrity when he deployed in 2 the spirit of our soldiers overseas. Right. Whether riling up soldiers involved in a long fire fight, or just adding a little humor to a midnight raid on a terrorist hide out, Liberty's floppy ears and goofy grin always made us laugh amid the harsh images of war. He was truly the nation's top dog. More that 5 Americans voted for Liberty in the online mascot selection contest sponsored by the DOD. Yes, this freedom loving canine won out in the final runoff edging out brigadier Baboon, D'Angelo the Streetwise Elk, who was a technological specialist, and Private First Class Jeffrey Bison. After his first tour ended in 2 Liberty was redeployed with a new mission to put a positive spin on the conflict and improve the flagging public image of the war at home. Right, and here today now, we'll never forget our studio visit from Liberty when he was on his nation-wide tour right after the Abu Ghraib scandal. So now, despite all these allegations, you're here to remind us that our soldiers are doing their dog-on best over their in Iraq. Right? Yeah. As the war moved into it's fourth year Liberty's mission was refocused again to cheering up Iraqis and creating goodwill between waring Shiites and Sunnis. Now, we did see a little less of the big lovable dog in 2 after the Pentagon cut his funding, but Liberty persevered, apparently creating his own website where he asked his fans back home to help him out and send him ammunition for his trademark marshmallow gun. And then, yesterday his career ended in heroics. When doing a cartwheel he accidentally tripped on an improvised explosive device. Liberty will be buried at Arlington National Cemetery tomorrow morning. Liberty was posthumanusly awarded a giant foam replica of the Congressional Medal of Honor. He'll be missed. Liberty 2 One Patriotic puppy Still ahead this hour... suicide prevented by video of kittens riding Roomba.