perfidy

Johno, telling someone to stick it up their ass in Arabic is not to be done lightly. It is reserved for family members and people you are willing to fight to the death. That may be redundant. But still, those are definitely fighting words. I cut off your hands! You are infidel! Your sheep gives bad milk that makes foul-smelling cheese!

Oh, come on. I couldn't possibly take that personally.

As to the question of thumbs-up intended as "Ayyy!" or "Up your ass," a friend of mine has advanced a third possiblity. It could be both. Iraqis might be giving American troops a thumbs-up, knowing full well what it means in American culture, while simultaneously covering their own tizuk. Should Iraqis face a return of Hussein's regime in some way, even if for a brief period, they can say that they did not celebrate American advances, but rather told the Americans to stick it up their asses.

On a very serious note, CNN has thus far reported alarming increases in the number of civilians wounded or killed by American troops, fearful of suicide attacks. In one incident, American troops manning a checkpoint shouted at a driver, in English, to move his vehicle in a different direction. When the driver was unable to follow commands in a language he didn't understand, the troops opened fire on a vehicle, a very contained space, for several minutes. All three occupants of the vehicle were killed, and the initial report was that they had no weapons. Troops claimed that they saw muzzle flashes.

In another CNN report, a little girl, found by a reporter who risked being shot himself, and a woman were seriously wounded by American Marines. The little girl sustained a severe head wound. A Marine medic treated the girl, but only after the reporter brought her to them. When Marines demanded that the cameras be turned off, the reporters pointed out that they had wounded the girl. The reporters were then permitted to film.

Finally, CNN has also reported that no so-called weapons of mass destruction have yet been found. We've had a few posts about just wars. I think just wars must have clear goals, not hidden agendas. Given the protean nature of reasons for war as advertised by the administration (1: Weapons of mass destruction 2: 11 September 2001 3: Liberate Iraq from Hussein), there has been no clear statement from the administration about exactly why this war is being fought. The administration does not have to divulge war plans or information that compromises the position of the military. But it could at least be straight with us as to why this is happening.