The American Spectator

Thomas| 2.4.09 @ 11:24AM

The United States is just now learning what the Medes, the Persians, the Greeks, the Ottomans, the British and the Russians have already learned. There is nothing in Afghanistan for civilized people and the Afghans like it that way.

L. Ross| 2.4.09 @ 11:33AM

James Antle:

Dude, I could not disagree more. This is one of the most honest, appropriate articles I have seen regarding the cultural differences between the West and muslim worlds. We like to think we are all the same, but who in the United States could dream of dressing up a 4 year old like a suicide bomber for a party? They do it all the time in the muslim world. And instead of being condemned for it, the parents are praised.

All the same, thanks for posting the link.

BD57| 2.4.09 @ 3:44PM

Dunno about that.

I think Peters makes a very legitimate point: assuming the person you're dealing with mirrors your hopes, dreams, aspirations, goals is dangerous.

The West simply could not believe Germany was intent on war - not after the slaughter of the Great War - until September 1, 1939. And we now know the West passed up opportunity after opportunity to take action which might have prevented World War II from occurring.

Broadly stated, Peters point is "Don't project your concerns onto the people you're dealing with; find out who they really are and what they really want; deal with the people they are, not the people you'd like them to be."

Seems pretty straightforward to me.

Basil Plumley| 2.4.09 @ 8:30PM

I agree with L. Ross and BD57. We have to get away from looking at the world through our own idealism. The fallacy of our foreign policy for many years has been the belief that everyone on this planet wants to be like us and all people are inherently good. It is quite Pelagian, arrogant, and wholly unrealistic.

Ralph Peters should be commended for his thought provoking article.