LISBON (Reuters) - U.S. soldiers attacked a Portuguese soldier who gave a mock salute to a television picture of Osama bin Laden at the Lajes NATO base in the Azores islands, state radio said Monday.

RDP radio said the soldier raised his hand in jest when he saw a television broadcast in the base's American club showing bin Laden, whom the United States blames for the Sept. 11 attacks on New York and Washington which killed thousands.

"Several G.I.s jumped on the Portuguese soldier and beat him violently until other Portuguese soldiers appeared and a real pitched battle ensued," RDP said.

"American and Portuguese police were called and 30 were needed to end the fight, and even then they only restored order by drawing their weapons," the report added.

Defense Ministry officials were not immediately available for comment on the incident. RDP said the Portuguese soldier who gave the joke salute was arrested.

RDP said the brawl was the latest in a series of verbal and physical confrontations between troops stationed at Lajes, where tension has increased since September 11.[devil]

Damn.

This is unfortunate, but on the lighter side, been in a few army pub brawls as fol:

Australians vs English - we won (poor Poms)
Australians vs Americans - we won (sorry)
Australians vs Canadians - won again.

In all occasions beer flowed from both sides afterwards. All were good blokes, and the main cause was the same WOMEN!

Young soldiers! To be young again, eh!