Flunking Afghan 101

Another very interesting column ("Chilling with Mullahs") by Diana West in which she writes about a very costly and unconstitutional government initiative that teaches U.S. Marines how to effectively socialize with stone-age village honchos in Afghanistan. Who knew that the few and the proud needed such a skill set?

Diana, however, isn't the least bit impressed.

She writes, "But, honestly, what would count as ice-breakers with a Pashtun tribal elder? In all likelihood he has several wives, some of whom are no more than children (in homage to Muhammad's child bride Aisha). He may well be a 'bacha baz,' which is the term for an older man who has a sexual relationship with a boy."

Ugh. Ugh. And, ugh.