Getting back to the original thread of Shelby Steele's piece, I agree with him too.
The US has been guilted into pussyfooting around in its wars.
American military decisions are often made with lots and lots of concern about being called racist, imperialist, Eurocentrist, chauvanist, and every other "ist" or "ism" you can think of.
Friends of mine who've served in Iraq and Afghanistan have all told me horror stories of idiotic policies being followed, and US troops getting killed because tactics and decisions were based on culturally-sensitive politically-correct platitudes.
Like a street of hostiles (Fedayeen mostly) during the actual initial invasion being engaged with a series of "gun runs" by Bradley vehicles to the cost of several US gunners, instead of the whole street just being leveled, because leveling the whole street wouldn't have looked very culturally or racially sensitive to the press.
I agree with Shelby Steele that many times, American military decisions are not based on military expediency, or even what's best for our troops, but on hazy vague politically-correct platitudes and fear of being labeled.
One more story.
Another friend of mine who served a year in Taji, Iraq, constantly griped about the very strict rules against US servicemen being allowed beer or girlie magazines. The Army was being very strict in not offending the Islamic sensibilities of the Iraqis, you see. Wouldn't want to look like ill-mannered cultural imperialists......
However, any soldier who needed a beer or a wanted to some porn just had to go over the Iraqi officers in the communications center for the hook up. Any sort of alcohol or "ficky-ficky" movie could easily be had for a few dinars or dollars.
hillbilly
The US has been guilted into pussyfooting around in its wars.
American military decisions are often made with lots and lots of concern about being called racist, imperialist, Eurocentrist, chauvanist, and every other "ist" or "ism" you can think of.
Friends of mine who've served in Iraq and Afghanistan have all told me horror stories of idiotic policies being followed, and US troops getting killed because tactics and decisions were based on culturally-sensitive politically-correct platitudes.
Like a street of hostiles (Fedayeen mostly) during the actual initial invasion being engaged with a series of "gun runs" by Bradley vehicles to the cost of several US gunners, instead of the whole street just being leveled, because leveling the whole street wouldn't have looked very culturally or racially sensitive to the press.
I agree with Shelby Steele that many times, American military decisions are not based on military expediency, or even what's best for our troops, but on hazy vague politically-correct platitudes and fear of being labeled.
One more story.
Another friend of mine who served a year in Taji, Iraq, constantly griped about the very strict rules against US servicemen being allowed beer or girlie magazines. The Army was being very strict in not offending the Islamic sensibilities of the Iraqis, you see. Wouldn't want to look like ill-mannered cultural imperialists......
However, any soldier who needed a beer or a wanted to some porn just had to go over the Iraqi officers in the communications center for the hook up. Any sort of alcohol or "ficky-ficky" movie could easily be had for a few dinars or dollars.
hillbilly