A gung-ho Web site for US paratroopers, which included a game called "Bash bin Laden", was partly closed down on Wednesday after some of its features were criticised as insensitive.
Sections of the Web site for the Italy-based 173rd Airborne Brigade, which included a map of the Middle East with countries renamed after US oil companies, were made unaccessible and a message was posted in the middle of the homepage: "Attention: Some pages on this site are undergoing redesign and will be posted again shortly. Please check back often. We undertake this effort to ensure the safety of our fellow soldiers and brothers."
It was not immediately clear why the content had been closed down and no-one was available for comment at the 173rd Airborne Brigade headquarters in Vicenza, Italy.
The brigade might be deployed in the US response to the suicide hijackings which killed nearly 7000 people in New York and Washington.
Earlier the Web site, which was set up before the September 11 attacks, offered visitors the chance to play "Bash bin Laden", a game involving hunting down and killing the exiled Saudi-born millionaire thought to be hiding in Afghanistan.
The material had raised eyebrows in the 173rd's host country, with newspapers printing the aggressive content.
The United States believes Osama bin Laden was the mastermind behind the suicide strikes.
Kick Ass
Earlier, under the banner "Future map of the Middle East" and "Kick their ass and take their gas", the Web site had renamed Afghanistan "Texaco", Iraq "Chevron" and Pakistan "Exxon". Iran is referred to as "New Texas".
Another map on the site called Afghanistan "Lake America", and there was a picture of bin Laden with the caption: "I'm about to get my ass nuked off the face of the planet".
This just goes to show the American attitude, which is why groups and the world and large dislike them and certain individuals feel the need to hurt them.
It is worrying that America can not learn from the recent events and the mistakes it has made. Even more ridiculouos is these comments are coming from the American army, the most unsuccessful fighting force in modern history.