A Gift from the American People

[kach22i]

A Gift from the American People
http://abutamam.blogspot.com/2005/05/pathetic-unflushing-of-quran.html

"There is a carpet company in Switzerland that is owned by an Iraqi expatriate, Joseph Najib, who patented a prayer carpet that features an embedded compass which points to Mecca from any place in the world [as an aid to the Moslem when she/he prays].
Up to this point, this is a normal news item.
On May 26, 2005, this company received an order from the Pentagon to produce ten million such carpets:
- Five million of which are to portray two hands, shaking. On one hand, the American flag is embossed. On the other hand, the Afghani flag is shown, both under the caption: "A Gift from the American People".
- The other five million other carpets do also portray two shaking hands. However, while one hand does show the American flag, the other one is to portray the Iraqi flag, under the same caption: "A Gift from the American People".
These carpets are to be distributed to mosques and sacred pilgrimage sites to be delivered to the devout in Afghanistan and Iraq in order to embellish America's image to the Muslims in these two countries.

True story?

Did we order these rugs?

[Drdogface]

Damn, I hope not but wouldn't surprise me.

[Nathans_Dad]

What the question? Maybe I am not understanding the article, it sounds like they are ok with the Afghani rugs but not the Iraqi ones? What's the difference?

[Moneyguy1]

It is the small things that go the farthest to change "hearts and minds".

[1967 R50/2]

As somebody who knows a fair deal about oriental rugs, I think it would be a big mistake...not for the PR reasons, but as an expenditure of money.

Afghanistan is a major center of rug production. It would be better to license the design and have Afghan weavers make them...thereby giving that economy something to do other than grow opium poppies.

The money the Afghan weavers earn would be the REAL gift.

Reading the article as is, it's almost like giving refrigerators to eskimos.

As for the Iraqi rugs...those too could be made in Afghanistan. With the exception of the Kurdish regions there is very little "traditional" rug making in Iraq.

However, this article is over a year old...so my guess is that nothing has come of it.

[Nathans_Dad]

I still don't see what the problem with the idea is. Sure, it would be a better implementation to have the Afghan's make them to stimulate their economy instead of ordering them from Switzerland, but what is the problem with providing free prayer rugs for the people in those two countries?

It actually sounds like a decent idea to me....like Moneyguy said, we have to start somewhere with rebuilding our image over there.

[kach22i]

If you click the link, this is what you would see................

The pathetic unflushing of the Quran

The Americans are trying to deceive the Muslims in Iraq and Afghanistan, with prayer carpets (in Arabic, my translation) May 30, 2005

These gifts follow previous friendly American carpet gifts that were greatly appreciated by their recipients, namely, carpet bombing distributed by your invited friend's air force.

They might as well have portrayed Bush's hand shaking Sharon's,
for the real message! .... While they both indulge in their Blood Flush

(their words not mine).




From the above, we can't even give them top of the line free rugs with built-in compasses the right way.

EDIT:

One comment was:

There is even a bit more to the story:

The other floor coverings will feature a similar logo with a U.S. and Iraqi flag, displaying the Arabic "takbir" inscription "Allahu Akbar" ("God is great.") The proclamation was added to the Iraqi banner during the 1991 Gulf War and the script is in Saddam Hussein's handwriting, a minor point
certain to inflame patriotic congressmen.
# posted by Dakhil : June 02, 2005 6:37 PM

[jorian]

Carpet bombing.... 2006 style

[Nathans_Dad]

Kach,

I see. So you are saying that because you read a link that says that the carpets are bad because evil Bush carpet bombed Iraq (an untrue statement) then we should all agree?

First, the US did NOT "carpet bomb" Iraq and second the two have nothing in common except they share the word CARPET.

Come on man, this is REALLY reaching...

[legion]

But Bush...is so evil.....can't resist....urge....to bash...

[tobster1911]

It's all Bush's fault.....

Bush Hates Carpets.......

Haliburton.........


Wait a minute, you mean that Haliburton did not get an exclusive contract? The hell you say....

[kach22i]

Originally posted by Nathans_Dad
Kach,

I see. So you are saying that because you read a link that says that the carpets are bad because evil Bush carpet bombed Iraq (an untrue statement) then we should all agree?

First, the US did NOT "carpet bomb" Iraq and second the two have nothing in common except they share the word CARPET.

Come on man, this is REALLY reaching...

What?

Wheres my fcuking free carpet, that's all I want to know.

Nathans_Dad , you need a compass more than they do, you are lost man.

http://www.hilalplaza.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=480

[bryanthompson]

the rug has a built-in compass? whoa, that's high tech. I've got a shoe that talks to my iPod. Beat that.

[Nathans_Dad]

Kach I don't need a compass.

As a card carrying Neocon, Cheney tells me where to go every day...must...follow...blindly....

[kach22i]

Originally posted by Nathans_Dad
Kach I don't need a compass.

As a card carrying Neocon, Cheney tells me where to go every day...must...follow...blindly....

I'm sure you can at least find Iraq on a map then.