Original U.S. “Iraqi Hunting License” Gulf War Morale Ephemera, circa 1991
Original U.S. military novelty print produced during the Gulf War period, as battalion-level morale ephemera rather than official battlefield PSYOP. Printed in the form of a mock American hunting permit, the piece licenses the bearer to “hunt and kill IRAQI” during a fictional open season, turning enemy soldiers into targets through the visual language of recreational hunting, paperwork, and barracks humor.
Operation: Operation Desert Storm
Conflict and War: Gulf War
Year: circa 1991
Country and Theater: Iraq and Kuwait Theater
Language(s): English
Format: Original printed novelty license, single-sided, blank reverse
Provenance: Acquired from the family of a U.S. military commander.
Translation:
Front: “United States of America. Iraqi Hunting License. This is to certify that [blank fields]. Having paid the appropriate fee, the above named is hereby licensed to hunt and kill IRAQI during the open season thereof both in and out of the U.S.A. This license must be carried on person named above when hunting IRAQI and gives the licensee permission to hunt both day and night, with or without the aid of tracking dogs. Iraqi Tag. This tag good only for IRAQI. Official Kill Tag. Season opens January 1, closes December 31.”
Back: Blank reverse.
Imagery: Mock “United States of America” hunting license with eagle emblems, blank identification fields, faux county clerk language, and a printed “Iraqi Tag” with an “Official Kill Tag” mark. The design imitates an American hunting permit while applying it to Iraqi soldiers.
Objective: Battalion morale ephemera and internal war humor. The piece dehumanizes Iraqi soldiers through the grammar of hunting, turning war into sport and enemy death into a joke of paperwork, licensing, and sanctioned pursuit. It belongs to the informal print culture around Desert Storm, produced for U.S. military circulation rather than for Iraqi audiences.
Condition: Good condition. Intact and legible, with visible handling wear, light creasing, age toning, and water staining along the lower edge and corners. Blank reverse shows discoloration and minor staining consistent with age and storage.
Exhibited in Khajistan: Office of War Information (O.W.I.) at Pioneer Works, New York, May 08 – Aug 09, 2026.
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