Super Osama Kulfa Balls

It seems that this is a real candy available for sale in China:

These coconut-flavored (a bizarre choice in itself considering the available alternatives in Afghanistan: cardamom, raisin, almond, yak… ) balls are sold in purple boxes (not to be confused with Purple Heart boxes) and feature Bin Laden’s bearded mug preaching peace and enlightenment among tanks, warplanes and cruise missiles. Delicious, and now available for the Olympics, too. Get them while stocks last.

I don't personally go in for coconuts, but tastes differ.

Comments

Is it too late to start a war with China? They are obviously harboring a dangerous terrorist(-flavored confection).

Posted by ben | February 11, 2008 4:28 PM

Dammit, that actually sounds pretty good.

Posted by Christmas | February 11, 2008 4:29 PM

Let the ball jokes begin!

Posted by chris | February 11, 2008 4:36 PM

Osama's balls in a box -- mission accomplished!

Posted by Anderson | February 11, 2008 4:37 PM

@Anderson:

Step 1: Get a box.

Step 2: Cut a hole in the box.

Step 3 . . .

Posted by ben | February 11, 2008 4:40 PM

It's all funny until these boxes start showing up in China's "East Turkistan"/Uighur region. Then the world leader in executions will kick it up a notch. I guess the Chinese didn't think their food industry got enough bad publicity by selling poison goyzu dumplings in Japan, so they had to try the Osama tack.

Posted by Fred | February 11, 2008 4:45 PM

Clearly, this is a direct result of Mitt Romney suspending his campaign.

Posted by SoCalJustice | February 11, 2008 4:48 PM

These coconut-flavored candies are completely disgusting, even if you normally like coconut-flavored things. I've had them. I haven't had the Osama bin Laden-themed candies, but nevertheless-- they taste horrible.

Posted by Tyro | February 11, 2008 4:53 PM

It is nice to know that tehe Chinese are equal opportunity offenders when it comes to violating copyrights/trade marks and so on.

Does Osama have to show up in person at the next WTO meeting to complain about the illegal use of his image or can he send a surrogate?

Posted by Eric k | February 11, 2008 4:56 PM

"Does Osama have to show up in person at the next WTO meeting to complain about the illegal use of his image or can he send a surrogate?"

I think he keeps trying to send his #3 man, but something keeps happening.

Posted by Njorl | February 11, 2008 5:04 PM

I dated a girl who traveled pretty extensively in Mali. One of her prized possessions was a poster with Osama's mug, "Bin Ladens" emblazoned underneath with 2 F-16s flying out of Osama's neck. She made the point that the people who had sold her the poster probably didn't know that Osama had used passenger jets on 9-11.

Posted by Klug | February 11, 2008 5:14 PM

Just go ahead and shut this thread down right now. SoCalJustice wins.

Posted by Woody Bombay | February 11, 2008 5:21 PM

With any luck, they have a really high lead content.

Posted by DHN | February 11, 2008 6:12 PM

Sold in China but the package is entirely in English?

What's the market? Shouldn't they at least have an Arabic quote or two?

Posted by fgtayl01 | February 11, 2008 6:44 PM

These are almost as good as the Bill Clinton brand condoms you can get in China (interns not included).

Posted by jim | February 11, 2008 7:16 PM

@fgtayl01

1) Note the side of the box, and you'll see the arabic version of the words on the front (I can at least make out that the top word says Osama)

2) really hard to read, but I think the top is chinese characters (though the image is too blurry to very confident).

3) not a small number of products in china for local sale include an interesting range of languages (much like projects in Japan), with english labels if it seems interesting

4) there is a substantial chinese muslim population in Beijing (not just Uighur, but Han chinese muslims). Given that, and the prevalence of the Uighurs you see selling sweets inspired by middle-eastern flavors, there is bound to be a market.

China is far more multicultural than many Americans tend to think, especially in the cities in the east (in the west, this is more generally true, not just in the cities)

Posted by foo | February 11, 2008 8:08 PM

They got any coconut-flavored "Bush balls" over there?

Didn't think so.

'Cause nobody associates the word "Bush" with "balls" - or brains.

And everybody outside the US approves of bin Laden more than they do Bush - and for good reason. Well, maybe except in Israel...

Posted by Richard Steven Hack | February 11, 2008 8:27 PM

Excellent! I'll have to keep my eye out for those over here.

Fred,
I find it highly unlikely that the Chinese will bother executing Uighurs for the crime of possessing an Osama Bin Laden candy box. The Uighurs that are somewhat radicalized tend to be ultra-nationalists who want to turn Xinjiang into the independent republic of East Turkestan. Few concern themselves much with the global jihad/Arabist movement.

Foo,

This is nitpicky but Han Muslims are called "Hui".

Posted by Matt Schiavenza | February 11, 2008 8:56 PM

Foo and Matt Schiavenza,

The Hui also sell really good lamb skewers. Yum!

Posted by adlsad | February 11, 2008 9:20 PM

Foo and Matt Schiavenza,

The Hui also sell really good lamb skewers. Yum!

Posted by adlsad | February 11, 2008 9:20 PM

I saw OBL t-shirts for sale by street vendors in Yang-Shuo last year. Pretty popular tourist area, lots of westerners there. A restaurant called Minnie-Mao's (with a likeness of the Disney character as logo) indicates a certain level of wit and sophistication. On the other hand there was a Chinese hotel called Fawlty Towers, spelled just like the John Cleese comedy, and I didn't see any indication they thought it was a joke. I'm not sure the t-shirt vendors had any idea of making a political statement. Just trying to move some merchandise.

Posted by DrBB | February 11, 2008 11:31 PM

DrBB,

I have seen OBL t-shirts and posters being sold in China in the few times that I have been there. However, it was only in a few areas like Guangzhou and Suzhou.

However, I saw David Beckham images everywhere.

Posted by adlsad | February 11, 2008 11:44 PM

Isn't kulfa a frozen dessert that needs to be kept refrigerated like ice cream?

Posted by jeet | February 12, 2008 10:28 AM

Given the toxic crap showing up in many Chinese products, including food, I think we have determined who has Saddam's WMDs.

Posted by CParis | February 12, 2008 11:11 AM