Getting pissed off in Afghanistan

What those
urinating Marines did was wrong, but hardly shocking in the context of what
goes on in war -- especially in Afghanistan. I remember reading in a history of
fighting in Waziristan that British officers were warned that if they were
captured, Pushtun fighters likely would jam a sprig of camelthorn up the
captive's penis and then tie him naked and spreadeagled over and anthill and
leave him there to roast in the sun until he died. Given the historical memory of Afghans, I
would expect that knowledge of those practices is widespread.

More next week on this issue.