Monday, October 27, 2003 :::
 
Today's news about the coordinated blasts across Baghdad are a little hard to absorb, but they do bring to mind our liberation of Afghanistan two years ago. Then it was said that we should delay our operations until after Ramadan, out of respect for Islam's holiest month. While the intention may be laudable, it should be recognized that Muslims do not regard it as a time to cease hositilities, and that has been true since the very beginning of Islam. Once again, this strange "functional" view of religion--according to which all religions have the same socially useful aims--impedes our understanding of the culture where we must operate.

And, of course, it points up the need for more and better trained troops.

Our incomprehension of Islam calls to mind another issue. It takes approximatley one year to become functional in any language. Is it impertinent to ask how many Arab speaking troops we now have? It's not like it's a skill that will no longer be useful after we pull out of Iraq. Which event, in any case, is not coming very soon.

Promised thoughts on the looting--now ancient history--must wait a day.

::: posted by A Mind That Suits at 1:02 PM


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What doesn't kill me, makes me laugh... usually.