When going gets tough, tough turn to Chuck Norris

8220;The fastest way to a man8217;s heart is with Chuck Norris8217;s fist,8221; reads one message at the shrine, which consists of a signed photo of the actor surrounded by similar statements.

8220;Chuck Norris puts the laughter in manslaughter,8221; reads one and 8220;Chuck Norris divides by zero,8221; reads another.

Known as Chuck Norris 8220;facts8221;, the claims have already become an Internet phenomenon, and scores are featured on chucknorrisfacts.com, including 8220;Superman wears Chuck Norris pyjamas8221;, and 8220;There are no weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, Chuck Norris lives in Oklahoma8221;.

The actor has visited Iraq several times and was made an honorary Marine last year. Some 20 U.S. military personnel and support staff spoken to by Reuters could recite at least one Norris 8220;fact8221;, despite many having not visited the Web site.

US troops in Iraq say his support for them and Norris8217; invincible image has made him their idol and insist the exaggerated and satirical claims are not meant to mock him.

8220;The jokes all add to his legend. They8217;re not derogatory. He8217;s an icon,8221; said Sergeant Joe Lindsay at a base in Falluja in Iraq8217;s Western Anbar province, which Norris has visited.

Bearded and muscled, Norris shot to fame fighting kung fu legend Bruce Lee in the 1972 film The Way of the Dragon, and later films show him devastating groups of men with one kick.

8220;Norris visited Iraq when violence was its worst and other celebrities were skittish. He8217;s one of the guys,8221; US military public affairs officer Specialist Mark Braden said in Baghdad.

8220;The Marines love him. He8217;s like a mythical legend,8221; Staff Sergeant Amy Forsythe in Falluja said.

Soldiers cited many reasons for his appeal. Some appreciated his films and fighting ability 8212; Norris is a martial arts guru, and many of his films have military themes.

Others said the masculine and plainly dressed actor was an antidote to the preening and moisturised metrosexual male.

Some praised his Christian and political values. The actor recently endorsed Republican Party presidential hopeful Mike Huckabee, though in the spirit of the Norris 8220;facts8221;, Marines argued it was Huckabee who endorsed Norris.

8220;He8217;s helped us a lot. The appeal is also his martial arts, and sheer physical presence . . . I don8217;t think I go a day without hearing a Norris joke,8221; said Corporal Ricardo Jones in Falluja. Norris8217; appeal is not restricted to US troops either. At an Iraqi police graduation ceremony in Falluja, graduates called out for their 8220;Chuck Norris8221;, Mohammed Rasheed, to pose for photos.

8220;I didn8217;t know who he was. I asked the Americans, and they said he was a great fighter, and that8217;s why they named me after him. They showed me a video, and it8217;s true, he8217;s a great fighter8221; said police trainer Mohammed Rasheed, who bears a resemblance to the star.