Skip Navigation

The Daily Dish - 2006-2011 archives for The Daily Dish, featuring Andrew Sullivan

A Guide To Iraq

By The Daily Dish
Jun 13 2007, 3:30 AM ET

Here's a stunning little find: from 1943 a guide to Iraq for GIs. Beyond poignant; and extremely wise. The PDF is here. Money quote:

You can usually tell a mosque by its high tower. Keep away from mosques. If you try to enter one, you will be thrown out, probably with a severe beating.

There are four towns in Iraq which are particularly sacred to the Iraq Moslems: Kerbala, Najaf, Samarra, and Kadhiman. Unless you are ordered to these towns it is advisable to stay away from them.

Moslems here are divided into two factions something like our division into Catholic and Protestant  denominations - so don't put in your two cents when Iraqis argue about religion.

There are political differences in Iraq that have puzzled diplomats and statesmen. You won't help matters any by getting mixed up in them.

How did we get so much dumber in fifty years? And, yes, I am not exempting myself from this assessment. I guess we panicked, didn't we?



Presented by

More at The Atlantic

Politics Q&A: Senator Rand Paul Rand Paul: 'You Don't Go Into Politics Unless You Want to Win'
The 10 bEST and 10 Worst States for High-Tech Business The 10 Best and 10 Worst States for High-Tech Business
Rick Santorum Wants Your Sex Life to Be 'Special' Rick Santorum Wants Your Sex Life to Be 'Special'
Our Aging Prison Population: Should Criminals Die Free? Should Aging Prisoners Die Free?
The Fight for a Fair and Free Internet The Fight for a Fair and Free Internet
Special Report
Beyond the BRICs Reuters Beyond the BRICs
A look at the next big global economies—and the rise of a global middle class. Read more ›
View All Correspondents

The Biggest Story in Photos

World Press Photo Contest 2012

Feb 15, 2012

Subscribe Now

SAVE 59%! 10 issues JUST $2.45 PER COPY

Facebook

Newsletters

Sign up to receive our free newsletters

(sample)

(sample)

(sample)

(sample)