The Wrong Lesson

by digby


Many bloggers have pointed out that Jim Webb's novels are on the professional reading list of the US Marine Corps, which would indicate that the adults in the military aren't too shocked by the sex scenes.*

But there is something disturbing on that reading list, which is that the top recomendation for staff sergeants and first lieutenants --- the leaders who generally have the most face to face contact with the locals --- is that piece of trash "The Arab Mind." I had thought that it was only considered a bible by the senior brass. I didn't know they were having the troops read it too. No wonder things have gone so badly.

This is another in a long line of errors, but it points to one of the biggest motivations for this invasion and occupation --- racism. There were far too many people who were willing to believe that when it came to teaching the world who's boss, any arab would do. This book helped create the sense that arabs are all alike and that they are just a little bit less evolved than we purebred (hah!) Americans.

This is terribly unfair to the iraqis and it's unfair to the troops. They should remove that book from the reading list or at least provide some other books on the subject and some guidance. They should not give it to sergeants and first lieutenants and then just tell them to go forth and deal with the Iraqis. It's akin to giving them bad body armor. (Oh wait ... )




* I'm reminded of Ross Perot, who went to the Naval Academy but left the service prematurely because he couldn't take all the cursing.


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