We buried a piece of the WTC in Afganistan?

[DarkPhenyx]

http://www.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/03/25/bush.broadcasters.ap/index.html

His slide show segued into a somber ending, showing a group of special forces troops in Afghanistan at the site where they buried a piece of the fallen World Trade Center in commemoration of the dead from Sept. 11.

So, waht? Are we going to have to guard it with American troops now to keep someone from pissing on the spot? Is it now hallowed ground like the American cemetaries in Europe?

IMHO? It's an assanine stunt which further highlights the arrogance of the United States.

[everythingsxen]

1. That is pretty stupid

Since honestly, Afghanistan didn't do it as a nation. I mean, maybe if the buried it in one of AQ's caves in Tora Bora and made that a shrine/museum etc. it would be ok, but it would just be another target.

[aquart]

2. Awesomely idiotic.

Who the bloody hell gave it to them?

[Lisa]

3. It's also mentioned in Woodward's book ...

"Bush at War". It describes the troops solemnly vowing to export violence to every corner of the world, to avenge the dead of Sept. 11th. Terror upon terror.

No wonder some of the victims' families are so upset.

[AlienGirl]

4. It reminds me of some stuff

That sort of ritualisti thing reminds me a lot of the kind of crap a certain other regime--whose name I may not mention or this thread will become godwinized--used to do. Blood flags and spears of destiny and what-not...

Tucker

[htuttle]

5. That was my first thought

One of those 'Spear of Destiny/Ark of the Covenant/Blood Flag' sort of ritualistic things. Fetishism of physical 'relics' is obviously very big with these guys.

I wonder if they have another piece of the WTC next to Geronimo's skull in the Skull and Bones 'Tomb'?

[Lisa]

6. so Bush has that photo of the ritual in Afghanistan

... in his private study. He claims it's very special to him.

Creepy.

[AlienGirl]

8. The historians in my house agree...

They said, "It sounds like some crap Himmler would do."

So I'm not the only one who thinks this is bizarre!

Tucker

[Lisa]

9. no, you're not the only one

My officemate, who served in the Canadian Forces, observed that this is the sort of "mystical macho hocus-pocus" that put him off the military.

(It does help build comradeship and give soldiers confidence, but the down side can be rather ugly, as we found out in Somalia -- can turn into self-justifying, exclusive superiority very easily.)


p.s. The social scientist in him observes that it's interesting how some "traditional" military people denounce the "touchy-feelie", bleeding-heart peaceniks ... yet they themselves can be even more sentimental, expressing themselves through intense rituals like that. Maybe it's a way to control the emotion -- basically telling people what role to take and how they should feel. There was a situation where some US soldiers decided that the best way to "honor" the Canadians killed by friendly fire in Afghanistan was to give them a US military decoration posthumously. They were shocked when the victims' families were not gratified, but instead demanded an investigation .. when they were supposed to sit down, shut up, and close ranks the way people from that unit were expected to behave.

[prolesunited]

7. Shouldn't the location

have been Saudi Arabia?

[brook]

11. When I saw it...

the first thing that came to mind was "Photo Op in the Mojave".

[Skittles]

10. stupid and juvenile

which plays just right with Bush's base.