Questionable reading material of US Soldiers in Iraq

[Ifreann]

We had a thread on the soldiers giving out Bibles, we don't need another one.

[Bears Armed]

Or is the army simply filled with so many literate neo-nazis/Waffen SS fans that they can land their cannon literature into the top ten in book orders?

Or maybe it's good book? Loads of books have questionable main characters etc, but the only reason there's such a fuss about this is because 1) everyone over-reacts whenever Nazis are mentioned and 2) left wingers in America seem to have a massive aversion towards their own army, so feel the need to mudsling whenever possible.

It's unknown to the general public, no publishers will sell it and it's Nazi fiction trying to pass itself off as proper history. Admittedly, I haven't read it (have you?), but I'd say odds are that it's pretty shit.

As far as I recall you are British, so I'm not sure why you're attempting to pin this on US lefties kicking up a fuss when it's a British newspaper reporting on it, unless you never, ever read the paper and have also somehow missed the .uk extension at the end of the article.

From the description, it looks like a book I read (having been lent it by a friend, who was into more deeply into military history) back in university. As I recall, the protagonist was definitely violent and fairly objectionable by modern 'western' standards but there wasn't actually much (if any) Nazi or neo-Nazi propaganda (rather than anti-Communist opinions) involved: He'd accepted that they lost the war, and was simply making the best of things that he could as a mercenary for the French instead...

[GetBert]

I thought there would be more porn.

[No Names Left Damn It]

That would be a good thing, but Im not entirely sure how converting someone to Christianity is going to give them a "knowledge of local terrain and customs, etc."...

It wouldn't. I didn't say that. Instead I said that converting the locals to Christianity would give the NATO forces allies with a knowledge of local terrain and customs.

[Hamilay]

no publishers will sell it

Exactly. It's like telling a kid not to go into a certain part of the house. Makes them want to do it more.

Hundreds and hundreds of books are difficult to obtain/unavailable in stores. If this is one of the top ten books American soldiers are reading that can't possibly be the only reason.

I wasn't talking about the article. I was merely stating that a lot of the US left seems to have a problem with their own troops.

And since this is being reported by a British newspaper and the OP is German I don't see how this is relevant.

[Maurepas]

That would be a good thing, but Im not entirely sure how converting someone to Christianity is going to give them a "knowledge of local terrain and customs, etc."...

It wouldn't. I didn't say that. Instead I said that converting the locals to Christianity would give the NATO forces allies with a knowledge of local terrain and customs.

lol, possibly, Im sure we can find some other way to give them this than something that hinders us almost irreparably like "Converting the Heathens"

[Maurepas]

I thought there would be more porn.

They can get that for free,

[EvilDarkMagicians]

I thought there would be more porn.

They can get that for free,

Are you implying..? Or is that my dirty mind working again.

[Maurepas]

I thought there would be more porn.

They can get that for free,

Are you implying..? Or is that my dirty mind working again.

A little of Both,

[H N Fiddlebottoms VIII]

Some people like to read stories written from a darker perspective, like that of an anti-hero or even an outright evil guy. I've never been able to get my hands on a copy of The Devil's Guard (I tried for awhile, scurrying around the darkened aisles of rare/old/used book stores), but just reading it doesn't make one a Nazi sympathizer anymore than reading the (awful) Hannibal Rising makes one a cannibal.

[Ashmoria]

as your quote says "The top 10 novels supplied to American fighting men were:"

being supplied is not the same as being read.

and no, i dont have a problem with these men and women reading whatever they want.

[New Mitanni]

lol, possibly, Im sure we can find some other way to give them this than something that hinders us almost irreparably like "Converting the Heathens"

No, of course we wouldn't, would we? It just wouldn't do to try converting anyone to Christianity, because everyone knows how corrupt and oppressive and imperialistic and perverted them ebil Christianz iz, right? Oh, and you can't exercise any kind of freedom of religion, now can you? Because that's a Western concept and it just doesn't apply in the Moslem world, eh what?

Now if anyone over there were trying to convert our troops to Islam, on the other hand, well that'd be just fine, now wouldn't it? Yeah, that wouldn't hinder us irreparably.

[OMGeverynameistaken]

Books are the number one killer of people since the start of the 20th century. We should ban all books.

[Maurepas]

lol, possibly, Im sure we can find some other way to give them this than something that hinders us almost irreparably like "Converting the Heathens"

No, of course we wouldn't, would we? It just wouldn't do to try converting anyone to Christianity, because everyone knows how corrupt and oppressive and imperialistic and perverted them ebil Christianz iz, right? Oh, and you can't exercise any kind of freedom of religion, now can you? Because that's a Western concept and it just doesn't apply in the Moslem world, eh what?

Now if anyone over there were trying to convert our troops to Islam, on the other hand, well that'd be just fine, now wouldn't it? Yeah, that wouldn't hinder us irreparably.

No, it wouldnt, this is about tactics, not which religion's dick you prefer...

Trying to convert people that we supposedly want as Allies is not going to help our goals at all, and can only give them more reason to join groups that oppose us, it has nothing to do which religion is "teh ebil one"...

[Greater Americania]

While I'm not a Nazi, we shouldn't be banning Nazi materials for US troops to be reading because of their Nationalistic content. It sounds just like a liberal European to try and pressure the US into banning Nationalistic writings and groups. How hypocritical.

[Brogavia]

So the fuss is about soldiers, reading a book about soldiers?

Whats the issue?

[Hamilay]

While I'm not a Nazi, we shouldn't be banning Nazi materials for US troops to be reading because of their Nationalistic content. It sounds just like a liberal European to try and pressure the US into banning Nationalistic writings and groups. How hypocritical.

Are you people even reading the damn article? Nobody has advocated banning this book at all.

[No Names Left Damn It]

It sounds just like a liberal European to try and pressure the US into banning Nationalistic writings and groups. How hypocritical.

Who's this liberal European you're on about? I can't see one trying to pressure the US into anything.

[Greater Americania]

Are you people even reading the damn article? Nobody has advocated banning this book at all.

I skimmed through it and the mood seemed like that of the liberal European attitudes towards Nazism we see today: ban them. However, I see your point.

[No Names Left Damn It]

I skimmed through it and the mood seemed like that of the liberal European attitudes towards Nazism we see today: ban them.

Trust me, the Telegraph really isn't a "liberal European newspaper". It's a centre-right British one.

[Maurepas]

I skimmed through it and the mood seemed like that of the liberal European attitudes towards Nazism we see today: ban them.

Trust me, the Telegraph really isn't a "liberal European newspaper". It's a centre-right British one.

Well, you do have to realize that centre-right in Britain, is an Ebil Socializt in America,

I actually enjoy the Telegraph for the most part, I usually read it's web articles when I get on my work comp, like today...

[No Names Left Damn It]

Well, you do have to realize that centre-right in Britain, is an Ebil Socializt in America,

I was going by American standards. Over here, it's the most far right of the respectable newspapers.

[Dyakovo]

Anyone else disturbed by the fact that of all the books in the world. That in the most popular selection is a highly controversial book most book suppliers refuse to shelve?

Anyone else disturbed by the fact that most suppliers attempt to censor what people can read?

I realize the article is a bit aged. However it is a bit of an interesting question, especially considering how rare the book is as well. Meaning US Soldiers who could easily buy a 15$ book, opt to buy instead this book which has the reputation by some to be "neo-nazi propaganda" at costs exceeding 100$. Well enough US Soldiers bought this book to catapult it into the top ten, and it's the only book dealing with war in the list of other top tens.

Could there be any psychological reasoning behind this?`With the unpopularity of the Iraq War, many Iraq soldiers start to liken themselves to another military unit that was very unpopular (Waffen SS) and take solace in literature that justifies their unpopular actions? Or is the army simply filled with so many literate neo-nazis/Waffen SS fans that they can land their cannon literature into the top ten in book orders?

Anyone else disturbed by certain ideologues trying to depict US troops as secret Nazi sympathizers?

Anyone else ready for a big "STFU" to slanderous psychobabblers?

Not sure what to make of this...
It's a arare occurence that I am in agreement with NM.

[Maurepas]

Well, you do have to realize that centre-right in Britain, is an Ebil Socializt in America,

I was going by American standards. Over here, it's the most far right of the respectable newspapers.

Well that just makes it practically a Commie rag of course,

[No Names Left Damn It]

Not sure what to make of this...
It's a arare occurence that I am in agreement with NM.

Didn't that already happen today? You've agreed with NM twice in one day lol.