Art and Culture in the War of Ideas

Supporters of the Iraqi insurgency have begun producing Hollywood-style movie posters, most based on horror or action movies, satirizing the American military. While the precise origin of the posters is unclear, Britain's Sky News, the only media outlet to cover the matter, reported this summer that the images are proliferating on Islamic extremist websites, which attribute them to the insurgents themselves.

One blogger who picked up the story noted that the insurgents "show a native fluency in American popular culture." This indeed raises a variety of questions about culture, popular or otherwise.

Is culture the type of thing that can be used or abused?

Is art merely techne, the ability to craft something well? In that case, might we call this latest propaganda campaign by these mufsidun "good art"? Or does art necessarily have a moral dimension?

Finally, do cultures have an innate value, or are all equal? As a practical matter, should we be studying the enemy, in order to bring this sort of propaganda to his camp, or is there something inherently wrong with this, if his culture is intrinsically disordered? Is his culture so disordered?

Are the Democrats Really Interested in Ending the War?

Amidst Wednesday’s coverage of the Senate’s late-night debate on a piece of Democratic legislation to withdraw US forces from Iraq, the BBC reported this tidbit:

The BBC's James Coomarasamy in Washington says most Republicans who are unhappy with the current course in Iraq favour less direct measures to influence policy and were hoping to vote on these in the next few days. However, our correspondent says, it appears that, for the moment, Democratic Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid does not want to allow them to do so. He has directed the Senate to move on to discussion of legislation unrelated to the Iraq war.

And why is this? If Reid and his fellow Senate Democrats (including all of the party’s leading presidential hopefuls) were really interested in bringing home the troops – and not just making political hay out of the war’s growing unpopularity at home – they’d be exploring other options with moderate Republicans. But they’re not. Why? Because it wouldn’t be dramatic enough and it would rob the Democrats of the ‘us versus them’ victory they’re looking for.

I say it’s high time the Democrats stop playing around with the lives of American servicemen for political gain, the very thing – ironically – they accuse the GOP of having done.

‘Let Iraqis kill each other,’ Catholic bishop says, calling for U.S. withdrawal

Money quote:

"Why are they there if they cannot defend human life and human rights?" -- Bishop Ibrahim N. Ibrahim on the US occupation of Iraq.

Detainees chief sees Koran as key ally

Major General Douglas Stone has an unusual daily ritual for a US Marine: the commander of detainee operations in Iraq likes to read the Koran every day.

While he himself is of Christian faith, he sees the Muslim holy book as essential to his mission: he wants those in his custody - some of whom are hardcore Islamist militants - to do as he does and read it as much as possible.

The logic is simple, he says. If detainees read the Koran themselves, they will be better equipped to challenge extremists who deliberately misinterpret the religious text to justify jihadist campaigns.

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