Comments on: Know Thy Enemy

By: Wonko

Wonko — Thu, 27 Sep 2007 07:04:03 +0000

Wow, what a trenchant critique! Your taken-out-of-context, cut-and-paste hatchet job bespeaks a very high standard of fair-mindedness on your part, and your ad hominem demonstration that Ostovar has a sense of humor by quoting from his MySpace page is certainly the more devastating half of your two-pronged attack. Puh-leez.

By: Andrew Reeves

Andrew Reeves — Mon, 05 Jun 2006 21:01:56 +0000

Okay, point taken.

By: sepoy

sepoy — Mon, 05 Jun 2006 18:42:17 +0000

This is a specific study of Jihadist imagery. Pretty focused, if you ask me.

By: Andrew Reeves

Andrew Reeves — Mon, 05 Jun 2006 15:25:35 +0000

In fairness, if you’re trying to give a quick introduction to a culture, you are necessarily going to paint in broad strokes. After all, in a first-year Middle Eastern Studies introduction to Islam you’re probably going to be a bit more general than if you’re teaching a course on, say, occasionalism in Al-Ghazali.

By: elizabeth

elizabeth — Mon, 05 Jun 2006 00:48:27 +0000

i am told there are some amusing infelicities in the arabic phrase guide, too, though i can’t verify. also, gotta love that little social structure diagram, and the who-hates-whom guide to ‘cultural groups.’

the sad thing is, this is actually one of the higher points of ’sensitivity training’ WRT to Iraq, from what I hear.

By: sepoy

sepoy — Mon, 05 Jun 2006 00:32:12 +0000

“Don’t back away from an Iraqi during conversation.” priceless.

By: elizabeth

elizabeth — Mon, 05 Jun 2006 00:25:52 +0000

i wonder if this is in any way connected to the geniuses who brought us the iraq culture smart cards that caused much gnashing of teeth among my classmates last year.

By: chanad

chanad — Sun, 04 Jun 2006 20:53:41 +0000

so how do you think they carried out the research for the study? did they distribute survey questions to detainees in guantanamo bay or something. im imagining soldiers questioning a prisoners about the difference between the meaning of a white rose and red one.

By: towards God is our journey

towards God is our journey — Sun, 04 Jun 2006 16:08:40 +0000

Falcons and horses are evil. And so are moons…

Sepoy points us to a new weapon in The War on Terror: The Islamic Imagery Project being run out the presitgious United States Military Academy at West Point, which aims to provide analyses for one-hundred key motifs that appear throughout…

By: thabet

thabet — Sun, 04 Jun 2006 16:06:07 +0000

Damn. I can’t bring my falcon-headed horse-camel toy thingy next time I visit the States.

By: Subah

Subah — Sat, 03 Jun 2006 14:29:51 +0000

I think it is time to pull off a Mustafa Said on our imperial masters. Tayeb Salih’s novel Season of Migration to the North ŸÖŸàÿ≥ŸÖ ÿßŸÑŸáÿ¨ÿ±ÿ© ÿ•ŸÑŸä ÿßŸÑÿ¥ŸÖÿßŸÑ has some wonderful lessons on undoing Orientalism.

By: Sin

Sin — Sat, 03 Jun 2006 14:13:58 +0000

WTF? Is this iconography and symbolism for the functionally mentally retarded? I’m so underwhelmed right now that Paris Hilton’s conversation seems like intellectual stimulation.

By: Land of Lime » knowing something, anything

Land of Lime » knowing something, anything — Sat, 03 Jun 2006 12:07:10 +0000

[...] Read Sepoy’s know thy enemy, for a list of brilliant insights Middle East experts at West Point have to offer. Since my comment provoked this entry, I shall also claim authorship and have all of you read it. [...]

By: babu

babu — Sat, 03 Jun 2006 06:50:34 +0000

to paraphrase david from spinal tap: “well, i’m sure i’d feel worse if i wasn’t under such heavy sedation…” thanks beer. hoo-RAAAAAY, beer!!