The crux of the matter:
In 2002, only six undergraduates in the entire United States earned degrees in Arabic language.
As a result over 100,000 hours of "terrorist related" tapes from the Arab world have yet to be translated. I've already noted that the vast majority of soldiers in Iraq don't speak the language. How can we possibly be viewed as anything other than occupiers if we don't even know how to say "freedom" in Arabic? This astounds me.
You raise a good point. One of my relatives is a translator / intelligence analyst for the Army. The Army paid for him to learn Russian (about a decade ago) and Chinese (after 9/11), when it should've had his black behind learning Arabic so he could be deciphering these tapes.
Posted by: molotov at October 4, 2004 08:14 AMDearborn Mich. home to the largest Arab population outside of the Middle East,is home to thousands who not only speak Arabic but are Americans some being here since the 20s.The gov. is racing to close this gap,is it too late.
tootsie
On point.
Kudos.
We know how to say everything in French, does that make us any closer to them when it comes to geopolitical matters? We have just peachy relations with the Phillipines, I bet you can't find a university that offers a degree program in Tagalog.
C'est un poisson rouge.
Posted by: Cobb at October 6, 2004 11:21 PMQuel Dommage. C'est tres facile.
1. We've always been on the same side as the French when it came to matters of war. It isn't a coincidence.
2. How does this move you?
Mr. Spence,
Occupiers is too kind a word for our presence in Iraq. 'Aimless warriors' is more like it. An occupation generally implies that the occupier had intentions all along to remain at said location for a longer period than first intonated.
I think this administration thought we'd go in-have a battle- and then get out. I doubt much thought was given to the occupation of Iraq, much less the ease with which Baghdad fell and how much more fighting would occur after the 'victory'. So like I said, 'occupier' is too kind. This administration has made our soldiers 'aimless warriors' with no clue as to when they'll return, what the longterm plan is, and how it will be achieved.
But more to your point, it is pure arrogance that the government isn't offering full rides to smart kids to study arabic. It shows a lack of cultural understanding that typifies this administration and it is to our country's detriment I'm sad to say. If Bush wins reelection then I doubt this is likely to change. It just seems that bush believes 'if we have a bigger stick, then all you buggers are gonna fall down' and doesn't have the historical perspective to realize that Rome fell, Britain is a shell of what she used to be, and the last time I checked Constantinople fell eons ago. In other words, history has shown that those who have the gall to believe that their current strength will be able to topple any would-be attackers that eventually they wane with due consequences.
It appears that we may be headed in that direction. *sigh*
Posted by: don at October 4, 2004 07:08 AM