US Army To Publish Manual Of Taboo Subjects- Taliban, Women's Rights, Pedophilia

Apparently it's the fault of U.S. troops in Afghanistan that they're being targeted by Afghan soldiers in green on blue attacks: they're just too darn insensitive and bereft of any understanding of Afghan culture. To remedy this the U.S. Army has decided to publish a handbook of no-no, taboo subjects soldiers are not allowed to discuss with their Afghan counterparts including: women's rights, pedophilia and how nasty the Taliban really are.

Not everyone is thrilled about it though. According to spokesman for the coalition forces in Afghanistan Colonel Tom Collins, the head honcho in that hellhole, U.S. Marine General John Allen, definitely does not approve.

The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) was privy to a version of the handbook, and published some quotes.

"Many of the confrontations occur because of [coalition] ignorance of, or lack of empathy for, Muslim and/or Afghan cultural norms, resulting in a violent reaction from the [Afghan security force] member."

The study, based on interviews with 600 members of the Afghan security forces and 200 American soldiers, painted a grim portrait of opposing cultures with simmering disdain for their counterparts.

The draft handbook includes a summary stating that some U.S. soldiers consider Afghan forces to be “basically stupid” thieves, "gutless in combat," "profoundly dishonest" and engaged in "treasonous collusion and alliances with enemy forces."

The draft handbook offers a list of "taboo conversation topics" that soldiers should avoid, including "making derogatory comments about the Taliban," "advocating women's rights," "any criticism of pedophilia," "directing any criticism toward Afghans," "mentioning homosexuality and homosexual conduct" or "anything related to Islam," according to the Journal.

Might as well just muzzle them.

Too bad much of what they think of the Afghan forces is true.


H/T Act For America

It's Ramadan and The Killing Goes On- Roundup of Violence

It's still Ramadan, the holiest of Muslim holidays, and you'd think they'd take a little break from all the violence and bloodshed that has become synonymous with Islam. But no, the carnage continues.

Afghanistan was the center of a series of suicide bombings and attacks on Tuesday that killed more than 41 people and wounded more than 138. Touted as one of the bloodiest days this year, three bombings in different regions of Afghanistan claimed the lives of innocent men, women and children. Several bazaars and a government gas station were just some of the targets, and to show just how evil these people are, another bomb targeted the wounded who had been transported to a hospital, causing even more casualties.

Gen. John R. Allen, NATO commander, asked Taliban leader Mullah Omar to:

"..rein in his murderers." "What we saw today were further acts of intentional mass murder. By targeting innocent civilians in populated areas, the insurgents have again shown they will kill non-combatants without hesitation to advance their backward looking plans for Afghanistan."

And they really think peace with the Taliban is possible.

Then there was all that action in Iraq. 14 were killed  during the past week. In fact, July (Ramadan started July 20) was the deadliest month since August 2010.

Al-Qaeda affiliated militants singled out eight 16 to 20-year-old Shia Muslim men, executing them after allowing the rest of the group of 25 to leave unharmed. The others happened to be Sunnis. As they are apt to do, they too left a roadside bomb under one of the dead bodies as a present for the first responders, for maximum body count, you know- 4 policemen were wounded.

Then there's the six young Arabs who were swimming in Amerli, Iraq when they were shot dead by men on motorcycles. And the Sunni police that were attacked and killed, and the two Sunni government employees who were murdered (just so you know it's not just Shi'ites who are targets.) And all the others the past 30 days. 325 killed in July alone, and there have been attacks every day in August in Iraq.

And lets' not forget the bloodbath that's taking place in Syria during Ramadan.