A proposed new handbook for Americans serving in Afghanistan warns them not to speak ill about the Taliban, advocate women’s rights or criticize pedophilia, and the general in charge is not happy with it.

The draft of the newest Army handbook seems to suggest that ignorance of Afghan culture is to blame for deadly attacks by Afghan soldiers against the coalition forces, according to The Wall Street Journal, which got a peek at the 75-page document. But its message of walking on eggshells around the locals is not going over well with U.S. Marine Gen. John Allen, the top military commander in Afghanistan.

"Gen. Allen did not author, nor does he intend to provide, a foreword," said Col. Tom Collins, a spokesman for the U.S.-led coalition in Afghanistan. "He does not approve of its contents."

More than three dozen attacks by Afghan soldiers have claimed the lives of some 63 members of the U.S.-led coalition this year. The insider attacks could jeopardize plans to transfer full security control to Afghan forces in 2014.

But a claim by their own government that they’re to blame is not likely to buoy the spirits of Americans risking their lives to serve.

"Many of the confrontations occur because of [coalition] ignorance of, or lack of empathy for, Muslim and/or Afghan cultural norms, resulting in a violent reaction from the [Afghan security force] member," the Journal quotes the draft handbook as saying.

The version reviewed by the Journal is still subject to revisions, Lt. Gen. David Perkins, commander of the Army's Combined Arms Center at Fort Leavenworth, Kan., told the Journal.

The study, based on interviews with 600 members of the Afghan security forces and 200 American soldiers, painted a grim portrait of opposing cultures with simmering disdain for their counterparts.

The draft handbook includes a summary stating that some U.S. soldiers consider Afghan forces to be “basically stupid” thieves, "gutless in combat," "profoundly dishonest" and engaged in "treasonous collusion and alliances with enemy forces."

The draft handbook offers a list of "taboo conversation topics" that soldiers should avoid, including "making derogatory comments about the Taliban," "advocating women's rights," "any criticism of pedophilia," "directing any criticism toward Afghans," "mentioning homosexuality and homosexual conduct" or "anything related to Islam," according to the Journal.

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/us/2012/12/12/proposed-army-manual-tells-gis-not-to-insult-taliban-speak-up-for-women/#ixzz2ExeMrZdl

Damn Obama and Panetta are a couple of knuckleheaded rookies. F the islamic pedophiles. F them and their child molesting women hating cult!

not to speak ill of the enemy. Who the fucq does Obama think he is? Ghandi now? And not speak up for women? Now Obama is double backing on what America stands for.

God damn chameleon!

Why speak out for women's rights? The election is over.

really? does the president pen the army handbooks?

this reminds me of the uproar when women are advised against wearing certain types of clothing in certain situations

many women are 'outraged' that they should be considered to 'blame'

others just take it as a common sense warning of how to take precautions,,,,

Members of the U.S. military serving overseas have to exercise tact and diplomacy when dealing with locals. If it is not the mission of U.S. soldiers to change the local culture, then by criticizing the local culture, U.S. soldiers could be jeopardizing their ability to fulfill their military mission. Using street smarts is as necessary overseas as it is at home.

There may be just cause to challenge the legitimacy of elements of the local culture, but the job of making such a challenge doesn't belong to the rank-and-file soldiers.

It's really hard to mind your own business when a man is beating his wife.

This is clearly an example of the clash of cultures. You are right, though, it is not the job of the Military to dictate western culture to them. Women in America had to fight tooth and nail for the right to vote in this country and some were jailed and tortured, even killed in the process.

What are we doing over there again?

Oh yeh, maintaining the supply of drugs for all the drug addicted Americans. I'm sure oil has something to do with it too.

Sure, Afghanistan has lots of crude oil.

No, I think it had to do with an oil pipe line didn't it?

What gave you that idea? Have you bothered to look at a map of the Middle East? Afghanistan is to the east of the oil-producing nations.

What nation would benefit from an oil pipeline going across Afghanistan? It certainly isn't the USA.

They will also be obligated to join in when invited to pull a train on the donkey or 8 year old.

Barry could stop the writing and issuing of said manual.

I said "I think" which means I remember reading something about it years back. I actually believe it had mostly to do with the drug trade.

About the pipeline:

Wiki:
Some critics have proposed that the real motive for invading Afghanistan was its importance as a conduit for oil pipelines from Azerbaijan to Afghanistan's neighboring countries.[1] Others have argued that the pipeline was not a significant reason for the invasion of Afghanistan, firstly because most western governments and oil companies prefer an export route from the Caspian Sea to Azerbaijan and Georgia and on to the Black Sea over one through Afghanistan. Bypassing Russia and Iran would break their collective monopoly on regional energy supplies.

Also The Bush family was mostly into Oil and it was Daddy Bush that wanted in there so bad for some reason.

Here is some additional information:

http://www.thirdworldtraveler.com/Central_Asia_watch/Don't%20Mess_Unocal.html

Fact, the ONLY reason we are in Afghanistan is to control the illicit opium market so we have some leverage on China. it is not about democracy. It is about controlling the illegal drug trade. The CIA comes to mind in this for sure. Contragate of the new millennium anyone?

I can believe that. Drugs are one of the world's real currency.

any country or culture where we cannot speak out against pedophilia needs to be brought down

that's just some very sick shyte


and NO you cannot blame a woman for what she wears. men must exercize self control. period. end/

blaming someone and cautioning them are not the same thing

although they are often confused as such


if I know crazy al shoots anyone tht uses the word pancake,,letting people know not to use that word around al doesnt mean I support his craziness or blame those who get shot for saying it

its just a precaution based upon available information

people can take it as the advice it is or they can get offended that its offered,,,

I would suggest, as reference, the book Fiasco, esp. the chapters How to start an Insurgency (I) and How to start an Insurgency (II).

Andy, I am astonished by your claim because you made it without providing any evidence to support it.

Such a claim coming from you is disappointing to me because I had you pegged as being one of the saner people around here.

I would agree that there is cause to question the U.S. military's current presence in Afghanistan. If bin-Laden is dead and al-Qaeda is mortally wounded, then what is the USA's exit strategy? What has to happen for the Pentagon to say, "Mission accomplished."?

Anyway, none of this pertains to the topic of the OP.
President Obama is not the person responsible for the contents of a military manual.

That or when you see a pedophile with a 9 year old wife. Anyone decent person with integrity will be disgusted by that.

Heroin and Opium are Afghanistan's two biggest cash crops.

The onlt reason we are in Afganistan is because of a little thing called 9/11.