Thread on r/AskReddit on preconceptions American soldiers had about Afghanistan

[Hiptullha]

[Serious] Soldiers of Reddit who've fought in Afghanistan, what preconceptions did you have that turned out to be completely wrong? : AskReddit

An enlightening thread which pretty much blew my mind.
This was my favorite post in the thread.

That Afghanistan was an actual country. It's only so on a map; the people (in some of the more rural places, at least) have no concept of Afghanistan.

We were in a village in northern Kandahar province, talking to some people who of course had no idea who we were or why we were there. This was in 2004; not only had they not heard about 9/11, they hadn't heard Americans had come over. Talking to them further, they hadn't heard about that one time the Russians were in Afghanistan either.

We then asked if they knew where the city of Kandahar was, which is a rather large and important city some 30 miles to the south. They'd heard of it, but no one had ever been there, and they didn't know when it was.

For them, there was no Afghanistan. The concept just didn't exist.

A couple of other posters shared pretty similar experiences (Afghans not knowing what the heck was going on, Afghans thinking the US troops were the Russians). Opened my eyes.

 

[Samandri]

I am surprised that they are surprised about certain things. For example one American soldier is saying. that in Afghanistan , when you eat in front of others then you are expected to share your food with them or invite them to eat with you. I am surprised that it is unique for them. It is general courtesy. Whenever i eat in public and some one is sitting beside me or nearby, i offer him the share of it, he would say no thanks and would refuse out of courtesy. If i know that person or has little bit chat with him, i would go into extra hospitality domain and would insist and make it sure that i share food with him.

It seems to me , these Westerns have lost the chivalry , values, traditions, customs etc and find such type of display as "primitive"......while the thing is, its them who have lost the community sense, gentlemen-ship, traditions etc with very fast paced progress and are leading very individual lives.

 

[Providence]

I am surprised that they are surprised about certain things. For example one American soldier is saying. that in Afghanistan , when you eat in front of others then you are expected to share your food with them or invite them to eat with you. I am surprised that it is unique for them. It is general courtesy. Whenever i eat in public and some one is sitting beside me or nearby, i offer him the share of it, he would say no thanks and would refuse out of courtesy. If i know that person or has little bit chat with him, i would go into extra hospitality domain and would insist and make it sure that i share food with him.

It seems to me , these Westerns have lost the chivalry , values, traditions, customs etc and find such type of display as "primitive"......while the thing is, its them who have lost the community sense, gentlemen-ship, traditions etc with very fast paced progress and are leading very individual lives.

No we just don't eat from other's plate is all. We try to touch our food as minimum as possible let alone any other person touch it.

I know you will never appreciate the gravity of what I just said and have full faith in you to continue your brain dead ramblings !

 

[Indika]

It seems to me , these Westerns have lost the chivalry , values, traditions, customs etc and find such type of display as "primitive"......while the thing is, its them who have lost the community sense, gentlemen-ship, traditions etc with very fast paced progress and are leading very individual lives.

Well you cannot generalize ppl across the western world like that.
But as for as culture is concerned , asia stands apart it is totally different from western one. Asian culture has evolved over thousand of years , high population, poverty,respect for ancestors ...etc plays a big part in it.

Good example is tipping in japan is considered insulting but in US it is a must bcos most of the ppl are not paid over there. Offering food to westerner might also look bad to them more like insulting them as if they cannot afford it.

 

[Providence]

Well you cannot generalize ppl across the western world like that.
But as for as culture is concerned , asia stands apart it is totally different from western one. Asian culture has evolved over thousand of years , high population, poverty,respect for ancestors ...etc plays a big part in it.

Good example is tipping in japan is considered insulting but in US it is a must bcos most of the ppl are not paid over there. Offering food to westerner might also look bad to them more like insulting them as if they cannot afford it.

You don't even need to interpret those behavioural things. Take a simple example of color.

Japanese people wear white dress while we wear black dress during death ceremonies. No one is wrong. It's jut custom.
THere's nothing like an absolute interpretation in this world !

 

[MastanKhan]

[Serious] Soldiers of Reddit who've fought in Afghanistan, what preconceptions did you have that turned out to be completely wrong? : AskReddit

An enlightening thread which pretty much blew my mind.
This was my favorite post in the thread.


A couple of other posters shared pretty similar experiences (Afghans not knowing what the heck was going on, Afghans thinking the US troops were the Russians). Opened my eyes.

Hi,

Yeah---that was the drama created by the U S regarding afghan involvement in 9/11-----like every afghans knew that 9/11 had happened---and americans----naturally try to stay stupid unless it comes to the issues of Israel---had no understanding that there were people who still lived in stone age and had no electricity and radios and contact with outside world----.

 

[Providence]

Hi,

Yeah---that was the drama created by the U S regarding afghan involvement in 9/11-----like every afghans knew that 9/11 had happened---and americans----naturally try to stay stupid unless it comes to the issues of Israel---had no understanding that there were people who still lived in stone age and had no electricity and radios and contact with outside world----.

Why do you guys hate us ?

We aren't stupid people. America is full of smart peeps like me !

 

[MastanKhan]

Why do you guys hate us ?

We aren't stupid people. America is full of smart peeps like me !

Hi,

I don't hate you----that is your propaganda----. But ask the afghans---your occupation---about a one and a quarter million killed----ask the Iraqis---your occupation and conquest---over 2 millions and more killed---Libya----U S sponsored drama---hundreds of thousands killed----Syria----and Isis---another U S created drama that back fired----maybe over a million killed and millions uprooted----.

There is good and there is bad----the bad is that so many millions of innocent mulsims killed by the U S thru its invasion---the good part is that there is a mega influx of muslims in Europe and the US----so---some of the European countries would become muslims countries a little bit faster than otherwise----hehn----some good----.

Nobody hates the U S----it is just the American stupidities that people comment upon----. The American media and the American politicians create a drama---" they hate us "----but if some did hate the U S for around 4 million muslims dead since 2001 during the U S rule of their countries---that should not be surprising---.

 

[Indika]

Hi,
There is good and there is bad----the bad is that so many millions of innocent mulsims killed by the U S thru its invasion---the good part is that there is a mega influx of muslims in Europe and the US----so---some of the European countries would become muslims countries
4 million muslims dead

World has a better chance of understanding things if they are not viewed through prism of religion or identity. Why cant they just be innocents ? Its not only muslims even even viets,cubans, koreans have been at the receiving end of US policies. Forgot about americans how well do muslims treat each other ?
Charity begins at home .

 

[Providence]

Hi,

I don't hate you----that is your propaganda----. But ask the afghans---your occupation---about a one and a quarter million killed----ask the Iraqis---your occupation and conquest---over 2 millions and more killed---Libya----U S sponsored drama---hundreds of thousands killed----Syria----and Isis---another U S created drama that back fired----maybe over a million killed and millions uprooted----.

There is good and there is bad----the bad is that so many millions of innocent mulsims killed by the U S thru its invasion---the good part is that there is a mega influx of muslims in Europe and the US----so---some of the European countries would become muslims countries a little bit faster than otherwise----hehn----some good----.

Nobody hates the U S----it is just the American stupidities that people comment upon----. The American media and the American politicians create a drama---" they hate us "----but if some did hate the U S for around 4 million muslims dead since 2001 during the U S rule of their countries---that should not be surprising---.

The muslims killed each others. NATO didn't

 

[MastanKhan]

The muslims killed each others. NATO didn't

Sir,

It was under the U S tutelage---situation created by U S conquest and supported by U S military---.

Need to learn pappy---when you conquer a nation---you own it----and not the locals.

 

[Neutron]

Hi,

I don't hate you----that is your propaganda----. But ask the afghans---your occupation---about a one and a quarter million killed----ask the Iraqis---your occupation and conquest---over 2 millions and more killed---Libya----U S sponsored drama---hundreds of thousands killed----Syria----and Isis---another U S created drama that back fired----maybe over a million killed and millions uprooted----.

There is good and there is bad----the bad is that so many millions of innocent mulsims killed by the U S thru its invasion---the good part is that there is a mega influx of muslims in Europe and the US----so---some of the European countries would become muslims countries a little bit faster than otherwise----hehn----some good----.

Nobody hates the U S----it is just the American stupidities that people comment upon----. The American media and the American politicians create a drama---" they hate us "----but if some did hate the U S for around 4 million muslims dead since 2001 during the U S rule of their countries---that should not be surprising---.

I agree with your point of view . I will like to add more into it although it is useless debate with few people watching the world with the prism of their own intrests.
It is not bad to view the world with your national intrest weather you are in east of west. Rules of Game must be same for all.
If industrial scale murder of people in Iraq sounds logical to someone just for suspicious presence of weapons of mass destruction, what sanity you can expect from them?
People don't hate US or American people as humans are same all over the world with little difference of culture , colour and faith. It is diversity and we need to embrace it with open heart.
But yes people all over the world more than 50 % do hate US policies. Chinese, Russians , Iran, and many more.

 

[That Guy]

I actually went through it myself, when it was active. The least surprising, but most evident issue was that most Afghans has no sense of nation. They simply didn't care whether the government was run by a democratic system, or by the Taliban, as they just wanted to be left alone. This sense of uncaring apparently extended to the army and police as well, as most were in it for the paycheck, which may be a reason for the high rate of desertion.

One of the replies even alleges that the reason why Kunduz fell, was because the Tajiks in the army didn't want to defend a majority Pasthun city. There was and is no sense of unity, or single Afghan citizen identity among the majority of the Afghans, whom are more loyal to their tribes and villages, than they are to the state.

If any of these replies are remotely true, would it not be better to divide Afghanistan? After all, foreigners complain that Pakistan's borders are unnatural, but Afghanistan's are even more so.

 

[MastanKhan]

 

[21 Dec 2012]

@jhungary was there