Gen. David McKiernan, Commander, U.S. Forces Afghanistan, Studying the Quran

[bigtree]

April 10, 2009

The top U.S. general in Afghanistan reached out to influential Afghan tribesmen in regions where U.S. troops will soon deploy, apologizing for past mistakes and saying he is now studying the Quran, the Muslim holy book.

Gen. David McKiernan met with villagers in Helmand and Kandahar -- two of Afghanistan's most violent provinces -- in an attempt to foster good will ahead of the U.S. troop surge that will send 21,000 more forces here this summer to stem an increasingly violent Taliban insurgency.

McKiernan said he wanted to show respect to tribal elders by traveling to Kandahar on Wednesday to explain some of the mistakes U.S. forces have made in the past -- such as arresting people based on information taken from one side in a tribal fight, or killing civilians during operations.

"I'm trying to connect to the local population in a bottom-up way and try to explain what the new U.S. strategy means and why they're going to see an increased force presence where they live," McKiernan said during the trip to Kandahar aboard the seven passenger jet he flies in.


read: http://www.wlwt.com/politics/19145115/detail.html

[bigtree]

1. .

[On the Road]

2. Seems Like a Great Idea

I have a hard time reading the Koran, because the first part of it is so abstract. But it's the kind of thing that changes your perceptions without even realizing it.

[bigtree]

3. hope he's got a good teacher

[Rebel Scum]

4. Hope he finds a good translation....

There's a few bad ones out there, the worst funded by the Saudis.

[anaxarchos]

5. During Vietnam...

... all the Generals used to read Ho Chi Minh or Giap... or Mao. Some general officer from Texas or Alabama talking shit about "the people of Vietnam are the sea and we swim in it..." This while living in a trailer and helicoptering around the country. Very Dali...

They were trying to "connect", too.

[bigtree]

6. Petraeus is also known to be a student of history and cultures

The effort appears trite, perhaps, but their 'reading up' on the religion and culture there is a consequence of the manner in which we give greater priority to the Pentagon than State that they have presumed to take the dominate role in engaging the population - admittedly, mostly to help soften the impact of their impositions and abuses. All of that is bound to come with a full dose of the ingrained jingoism and self-interest that our military uses to sustain and proliferate its influence. These officers will read and interpret the Afghans with whatever American accent they bring with them. I wouldn't expect them to react any differently. The strangeness comes when the Pentagon uses that summary view of the population as they assume the dominate role in shaping the foreign policy at the impact point of their militarism. What we get out of this is a population divided between those who are willing or compelled to buy into the relationships and those who find themselves outside of the military's docent influence. In this case, it's hard to take comfort in the outreach of the military's 'open hand' as they continue their arbitrary attacks and raids with the other.

[anaxarchos]

7. There is an old photo from the French IndoChina war...

...of a tall, good looking French officer and a small Laotian "commando", apparently presented as great friends. The thought caption for the officer reads something like, "It took time and understanding and more patience than I ever had, but I have slowly won these T'ai over so that they understand our culture and relate to us as children would to their parents." The thought caption for the Lao reads, "I can't wait for the chance to kill this big ugly French fuck and run away back to my home."

I think you are right but it is a very old story. Overcoming colonialism is like overcoming gravity. It has nothing to do with the degree or sincerity of "effort".