Daniel J. Pipes

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A Good and Wise Word

Reader comment on item: In Iraq, Stay the Course - but Change It

Submitted by Robert Odean (Canada), Oct 24, 2006 at 16:42

One of the things we have discovered in Iraq is our own ignorance relative to the Islamic world.

Richard Shultz and Andrea Dew in their book, "Insurgents, Terrorists, and Militias -- The Warriors of Contemporary Combat" should have been read by the Washington political elite long ago. Undoubtedly those on the ground, the coalition forces, are the ones that have already learned significantly about how primitive tribes and clans from the Islamic world think and fight.

Too bad the academic community has failed the political elite.

Such learning on the job has cost us dearly in blood and treasure though -- In trying to find some kind of balance I'm not sure how much more was lost in "blood and treasure" on American roads during the same period of time. Of course, this is not a concern of the liberal media nor does it suggest the Bush administration is at fault.

Thanks, Daniel, for being where you are!


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Note: Opinions expressed in comments are those of the authors alone and not necessarily those of Daniel Pipes. Original writing only, please. Comments are screened and in some cases edited before posting. Reasoned disagreement is welcome but not comments that are scurrilous, off-topic, commercial, disparaging religions, or otherwise inappropriate. For complete regulations, see the "Guidelines for Reader Comments".

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