The Arab Mind
The Ministry of Forcible Democratisation has issued soldiers with "cultural appreciation" manuals which give what the Independent (doubtless independently of the MoD press release) calls "a candid assessment of the grievances motivating the forces facing British troops in Afghanistan and Iraq". The manuals explain how the troops can avoid making matters worse: a subject on which the MoD is of course uniquely qualified to comment. It is noted, for example, that "Western policy in the aftermath of the attacks of September 11 2001 in New York and Washington has led to a feeling among many Arabs that the US in cohort with a number of European governments is pursuing a hidden agenda under the guise of the 'global war against terrorism'" - a feeling which British troops must combat with all the pluck and gumption at their disposal. Perhaps they could start by re-conquering the Iraqi oil ministry and placing its assets beyond the reach of Halliburton and company.
The candid assessment continues with the reminder that, grotesque as the thought may appear when applied to the sort of people who think we should stop apologising for the British Empire, "Westerners are often perceived as culturally ignorant, regarding their culture as inherently superior to that of the Arabs." The magnitude of this fallacy is made still clearer with the assessment of Arab cultures and customs, which is "aimed at helping government staff and soldiers understand the peoples they are interacting with": Islamic law, unlike the British military, "tends to be biased in favour of men"; while Arab cultural norms, unlike those of Christendom, discriminate against women because of "denigration of female attributes". Domestic violence, honour crimes and genital mutilations are "socially sanctioned", and yet Westerners have the gosh-darned cheek to regard their culture as superior. No wonder there's been so much trouble.
The guides "emphasise how Arabs value the notion of shame", which Tony and his chums have done so much to make unfashionable in British public life. "The socio-psychological need to avoid a loss of face... and a consequent diminution in social status in the eyes of society, to a large extent underpins social behaviour and interaction between Arabs, at least in public." Of course this is not the case in more civilised societies. Wisdom is also dispensed, in authentic New Labour mode, about the occupation of Palestine: "Western pronouncements against the human rights records of Arab governments ... ring hollow for many in the region when held up against what are perceived to be the gross human rights abuses committed against the Palestinian population, apparently with the sanction of Western governments." They're just not culturally advanced enough to understand the reality of the situation.
Still, there are one or two bits of Eastern wisdom from which our boys could do worse than learn: "teenage rebellion" in Arab families is almost unheard of, and "it is incumbent on children to care for their parents when they enter old age. Most Arabs find the Western concept of the 'nursing home' shocking, even abhorrent". So don't expect too much in the way of pay rises or free medical treatment, and don't expect too much in the way of help to see your parents through the pensions crisis.
The candid assessment continues with the reminder that, grotesque as the thought may appear when applied to the sort of people who think we should stop apologising for the British Empire, "Westerners are often perceived as culturally ignorant, regarding their culture as inherently superior to that of the Arabs." The magnitude of this fallacy is made still clearer with the assessment of Arab cultures and customs, which is "aimed at helping government staff and soldiers understand the peoples they are interacting with": Islamic law, unlike the British military, "tends to be biased in favour of men"; while Arab cultural norms, unlike those of Christendom, discriminate against women because of "denigration of female attributes". Domestic violence, honour crimes and genital mutilations are "socially sanctioned", and yet Westerners have the gosh-darned cheek to regard their culture as superior. No wonder there's been so much trouble.
The guides "emphasise how Arabs value the notion of shame", which Tony and his chums have done so much to make unfashionable in British public life. "The socio-psychological need to avoid a loss of face... and a consequent diminution in social status in the eyes of society, to a large extent underpins social behaviour and interaction between Arabs, at least in public." Of course this is not the case in more civilised societies. Wisdom is also dispensed, in authentic New Labour mode, about the occupation of Palestine: "Western pronouncements against the human rights records of Arab governments ... ring hollow for many in the region when held up against what are perceived to be the gross human rights abuses committed against the Palestinian population, apparently with the sanction of Western governments." They're just not culturally advanced enough to understand the reality of the situation.
Still, there are one or two bits of Eastern wisdom from which our boys could do worse than learn: "teenage rebellion" in Arab families is almost unheard of, and "it is incumbent on children to care for their parents when they enter old age. Most Arabs find the Western concept of the 'nursing home' shocking, even abhorrent". So don't expect too much in the way of pay rises or free medical treatment, and don't expect too much in the way of help to see your parents through the pensions crisis.
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