Comments on: As folks head into the AAA, a few thoughts about anthropology in the military –Part 1 http://www.ethnography.com/2008/11/as-folks-head-into-the-aaa-a-few-thoughts-about-anthropology-in-the-military-%e2%80%93part-1/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=as-folks-head-into-the-aaa-a-few-thoughts-about-anthropology-in-the-military-%25e2%2580%2593part-1 A group blog on a wide variety of topics realted to anthropology Fri, 03 Sep 2010 04:46:44 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Rick http://www.ethnography.com/2008/11/as-folks-head-into-the-aaa-a-few-thoughts-about-anthropology-in-the-military-%e2%80%93part-1/comment-page-1/#comment-5340 Rick Wed, 30 Jun 2010 04:12:48 +0000 http://www.ethnography.com/?p=243#comment-5340 "I like Lt. Col Nagl’s advice to anthro’s embedded with the military – “Be polite, be professional, be prepared to kill”" That was a quote from a Maj. General of the Marines talking to his men before going out on patrols, and it was, "Be polite, be professional, and have a plan to kill everyone you meet." That's just good advice to an infantry marine. “I like Lt. Col Nagl’s advice to anthro’s embedded with the military – “Be polite, be professional, be prepared to kill””

That was a quote from a Maj. General of the Marines talking to his men before going out on patrols, and it was, “Be polite, be professional, and have a plan to kill everyone you meet.” That’s just good advice to an infantry marine.

]]> By: Tony http://www.ethnography.com/2008/11/as-folks-head-into-the-aaa-a-few-thoughts-about-anthropology-in-the-military-%e2%80%93part-1/comment-page-1/#comment-507 Tony Mon, 03 Nov 2008 00:14:40 +0000 http://www.ethnography.com/?p=243#comment-507 Dylan: I don’t know if Col. Nagl told HTS that they "Be polite, be professional, be prepared to kill," but, this point to be a self-evident truism for anyone going into Iraq with the US Army, or any of the other military forces in the region. After all, killing is one of the things that armies do, whether or not they have an anthropologist along. Certainly this is something that the Iraqi people are well aware of. For that matter, it seems to me that Col. Nagl’s advice applies to a whole range of people who go into potentially lethal situations carrying arms. Besides the military, this applies to police officers in particular. But, it can also be extended to a wide range of professions that carry arms (e.g. park rangers, the Coast Guard), those who manufacture potentially lethal products (e.g. pesticides, guns, and automobiles), and provide potentially lethal services as doctors and nurses do. I guess at an extreme, Col. Nagl’s advice can even apply to those of us who daily get behind a wheel of that most lethal instrument in modern society, the automobile. Admittedly, the army is at one extreme in the expectation that it will kill, but it is hardly unique. So my question for you is, so what if Col. Nagl did say this to HTS? How do such statements logically mean that anthropology (and not other disciplines) need to excommunicate those who work for the army? And even if AAA could excommunicate anthropologists who worked for HTS, how would this change the situation in Iraq for the better? Given the cross-cultural catastrophe that has emerged in Iraq I can’t imagine why anthropologists should stay on the sidelines. Tony Dylan:
I don’t know if Col. Nagl told HTS that they “Be polite, be professional, be prepared to kill,” but, this point to be a self-evident truism for anyone going into Iraq with the US Army, or any of the other military forces in the region. After all, killing is one of the things that armies do, whether or not they have an anthropologist along. Certainly this is something that the Iraqi people are well aware of.

For that matter, it seems to me that Col. Nagl’s advice applies to a whole range of people who go into potentially lethal situations carrying arms. Besides the military, this applies to police officers in particular. But, it can also be extended to a wide range of professions that carry arms (e.g. park rangers, the Coast Guard), those who manufacture potentially lethal products (e.g. pesticides, guns, and automobiles), and provide potentially lethal services as doctors and nurses do. I guess at an extreme, Col. Nagl’s advice can even apply to those of us who daily get behind a wheel of that most lethal instrument in modern society, the automobile. Admittedly, the army is at one extreme in the expectation that it will kill, but it is hardly unique.

So my question for you is, so what if Col. Nagl did say this to HTS? How do such statements logically mean that anthropology (and not other disciplines) need to excommunicate those who work for the army? And even if AAA could excommunicate anthropologists who worked for HTS, how would this change the situation in Iraq for the better? Given the cross-cultural catastrophe that has emerged in Iraq I can’t imagine why anthropologists should stay on the sidelines.

Tony

]]> By: mark http://www.ethnography.com/2008/11/as-folks-head-into-the-aaa-a-few-thoughts-about-anthropology-in-the-military-%e2%80%93part-1/comment-page-1/#comment-506 mark Sun, 02 Nov 2008 20:03:49 +0000 http://www.ethnography.com/?p=243#comment-506 I have never seen any such quote from John Nagl to anthro’s embedded with the military. Though he has used it in other contexts. If you have a source for it, I would be eager to see it. But its pretty doubtful it exists. I have never seen any such quote from John Nagl to anthro’s embedded with the military. Though he has used it in other contexts. If you have a source for it, I would be eager to see it. But its pretty doubtful it exists.

]]> By: mark http://www.ethnography.com/2008/11/as-folks-head-into-the-aaa-a-few-thoughts-about-anthropology-in-the-military-%e2%80%93part-1/comment-page-1/#comment-505 mark Sun, 02 Nov 2008 14:02:43 +0000 http://www.ethnography.com/?p=243#comment-505 Yes Dylan I admit, the internet would be much easier to navigate were it not for the whole “freedom of speech” deal. But despite what I can only assume is your preference for state or politically controlled media, the internet has so far managed to hold off regulation and allow anyone and everyone to have a voice that takes the time to write. Yes Dylan I admit, the internet would be much easier to navigate were it not for the whole “freedom of speech” deal. But despite what I can only assume is your preference for state or politically controlled media, the internet has so far managed to hold off regulation and allow anyone and everyone to have a voice that takes the time to write.

]]> By: Dylan http://www.ethnography.com/2008/11/as-folks-head-into-the-aaa-a-few-thoughts-about-anthropology-in-the-military-%e2%80%93part-1/comment-page-1/#comment-504 Dylan Sun, 02 Nov 2008 13:43:46 +0000 http://www.ethnography.com/?p=243#comment-504 I like Lt. Col Nagl's advice to anthro's embedded with the military - "Be polite, be professional, be prepared to kill" Mr Dawson, i could not disagree with your 'rant' more. These days they seem to let anyone write their opinions on the internet. What is the world coming too I like Lt. Col Nagl’s advice to anthro’s embedded with the military – “Be polite, be professional, be prepared to kill”

Mr Dawson, i could not disagree with your ‘rant’ more.

These days they seem to let anyone write their opinions on the internet. What is the world coming too

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