Afghanistan Base 'Aryan' Raises Objections From Soldiers Over Name

As I stated in another post...

Some of you people will find a reason to be offended...case in point.

You see Aryan and automatically assume the whole U.S. Military are Nazi

Why don't you use your critical thinking skills and look it up before you complain. I will not repeat what previous posters have said regarding the word's meaning.

If you search for something on the internet, you will eventually find the answer you were expecting to see. That does not mean it is the correct one. That is the problem with researching your "conspiracies" on the internet.

Another bash the military thread nothing new here different day different thread anyone who knows anything about the military which seems a lot do not know that names come from history just like Bin Laden's code name was Geronimo!

Oh No the US military are Indian haters!

Funny how all these people creating these threads had little to say when The Nazi Party endorse and suported and march with OWS.

People need to get a damn clue.

Is the Army experiencing a word shortage, that they are down to using "Aryan" for one of their bases? Is that what's going on?

This isn't being 'overly sensitive' or PC, especially given the last century of history of Western powers in that region and our "Aryan superiority" over other races mentality. The choice of "Aryan" seems deliberate, not some accidental reference or an attempt at invoking pre-WW2 definition of the word Aryan, and I hardly think the naming of a military base was some exercise in language lessons on word-origins.

"Combat Outpost Aryan" is about as accidental as posing in front of a Schutzstaffel flag.

I don't think you understand. I no longer care. The incessant hate-on for all things that might have the slightest connotation of being Europid has gone too far.

Nazi Germany was what it was. I don't suggest forgetting it. However, the incessant hate on is enough.

You've turned Germans into some sort of horrible emo group who have national PTSD when their favourite bear fishes out the fish stocked man-made creek in his cage. People with red-hair as the ultimate sign of being caucasoid are now some sort of ultimate reverse racism target of hatred.

You've gone to far - expect the smack down to hurt.

The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language states at the beginning of its definition, "[it] is one of the ironies of history that Aryan, a word nowadays referring to the blond-haired, blue-eyed physical ideal of Nazi Germany, originally referred to a people who looked vastly different. Its history starts with the ancient Indo-Iranians, peoples who inhabited parts of what are now Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India and Bangladesh.

This sounds on the face of it to be innocent enough. (unlike the SS controversy).

reply to post by Jakes51


Yes it carries indeed a sad stigma that prevents anyone from ever trying to openly discuss the subject without being called a Euro-centrist or Nazi.

The connection of Nazi, the term Aryan, the swastika, while taken in a nationalist racist view, have some basis in history. There's a reason they spent so much time in India. From the Tarim Basin, to the Sub-continent of India spread tall, fair-hair blonde hair and blue eyed indo-europeons.

It's sad really, because I am enjoying reading and researching the Kushan Empire, the Yuezhi
, The LouLan Kingdom, the Tarim Basin. There's a lot of interesting history there, but race and nationalism get in the way and pollute the internet with "My dad can beat your dad up," type crap. (which when reading and researching about this interesting period, all the people themselves were not racist. These were melting pots, something that we can all enjoy.)

But I ventured way off topic and I talk too much.

Originally posted by clay2 baraka

The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language states at the beginning of its definition, "[it] is one of the ironies of history that Aryan, a word nowadays referring to the blond-haired, blue-eyed physical ideal of Nazi Germany, originally referred to a people who looked vastly different. Its history starts with the ancient Indo-Iranians, peoples who inhabited parts of what are now Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India and Bangladesh.

This sounds on the face of it to be innocent enough. (unlike the SS controversy).

So you accept Aryan as being innocent, but not the simple and obvious correlation between Scout Sniper and the "SS" symbol. Not trying to ruffle feathers.

I just don't get why 1 logical explanation is innocent enough, but another similarly logical explanation is not.

reply to post by Qemyst


Because some of the Sniper Scouts really do have the lightning runes on their logo.

So does Kiss. Gene Simmons - he's a Nazi. Clearly, look at his perfect Aryan wife.

Originally posted by Aeons
reply to post by Qemyst

 

Because some of the Sniper Scouts really do have the lightning runes on their logo.

So does Kiss. Gene Simmons - he's a Nazi. Clearly, look at his perfect Aryan wife.

Dammit, does that mean I have to stop liking Kiss otherwise I like Nazis?

MRFF founder Mike Weinstein told msnbc.com that he was contacted by numerous U.S. and Afghan soldiers who were upset about the name of the base and wanted it changed. He said he felt compelled to go forward with a complaint.

The word “Aryan” is associated with Nazis and white supremacists. A once-prominent white supremacist group called itself “Aryan Nations,” and the Nazis used the term to refer to a planned master race.

An attorney for the New Mexico-based foundation on Monday sent a letter to Defense Secretary Leon Panetta calling the implications of the name “clearly outrageous.”

“Today’s stunning information concerning the base near Kandahar being named ‘Aryan’ is simply too much to be coincidental,” the attorney, Randal Mathis, said in the letter. “Viewing either as trivially inadvertent would be preposterous. The horrendous religious and ethnic connotations are beyond dispute.…”

The foundation's research director, Chris Rodda, told msnbc.com that several independent sources, including photographs, Facebook posts and other references, have confirmed the base was spelled "Aryan." She said to claim that the base was named by Afghans is "preposterous." All other combat bases, she pointed out, carry clearly American names such as "Terminator" and "Michigan."

Looking at other base names, they don't stray from typical American or pop culture references. "Aryan" would be the exception.

"This is all part of the military's culture of intolerance," Rodda told msnbc.com. "We see it in regard to gender and race as well as religion." She claimed Nazi symbolism was common in the military.

Glorifying certain Nazi elite units is probably to be expected among the military, who see it as 'cool', but the implications they raise do not help our missions in areas like Afghanistan.

For the record, it was American and Afghani soldiers who were complaining about the base name.

The soldiers are just tired of being kicked, and so complained before someone could kick them.

If you haven't looked recently, the people in the contested area between Pakistan and Afghanistan are.... ARYAN. In case you never noticed it before.

Originally posted by Qemyst

Originally posted by Aeons
reply to post by Qemyst

 

Because some of the Sniper Scouts really do have the lightning runes on their logo.

So does Kiss. Gene Simmons - he's a Nazi. Clearly, look at his perfect Aryan wife.

Dammit, does that mean I have to stop liking Kiss otherwise I like Nazis?

I judge you merely for liking Kiss. So carry on.

Originally posted by Jakes51
Some people know their history, and that is good thing. The term "Aryan," was a moniker for a group of people who lived in ancient central Asia. They were thought to have inhabited areas from Iran to Northern India and the areas in between. Just reiterating what others have mentioned. The swastika was a symbol used by these people as well. Long before Nazi Germany.

Historically speaking, the term associated with the base is relevant in regards to the history of the region. That said, politically speaking, it is not so wise a choice given the more recent use of the term "Aryan," by the Nazis. No need to go over the history of the Nazis, because everyone should know about them and their history. It does not look good to have a military force from the west using that term while occupying another country, and even if it is in context historically.

I will admit the recent history behind the term carries with it a stigma, and should be considered taboo. Whoever decided to use the term as the title for this base was not very wise. That is my humble opinion. Not the smartest move, and no doubt some would take offense to it. Just change the name of the base, and nothing more. No need for an explanation or even an apology. Just a dumb move.

edit on 13-2-2012 by Jakes51 because: (no reason given)

Mm. In asia, the word would have little contextual taboo, but it shouldn't be difficult to see why this might cause consternation amongst some Western nations and American folk.

Again of course, I am sure (as has already begun in the thread) the apologists have sniffed PC blood and are baying for it. There's nothing PC about making yourselves look ridiculous by using names or symbols which can only reasonably garner unwanted and adverse attention

Still. I suppose this one was probably a bit more subtle than the SS flag. I wouldn't expect much to come of it though. Europeans don't get much news dealing with the topic, and aside from the odd person here and there in the States who feels uncomfortable with it, as with the SS symbol - it has become politically difficult or even impossible to call into question the military.

Nothing to see here...

Originally posted by reaxi0n
Puma also, who was created by his brother - also a Nazi.

Actually it's worse than that - the Puma was a German armoured car from WW2 - the Panzerspähwagen Sd. Kfz 234/2

Originally posted by Aeons
I don't think you understand. I no longer care. The incessant hate-on for all things that might have the slightest connotation of being Europid has gone too far.

Nazi Germany was what it was. I don't suggest forgetting it. However, the incessant hate on is enough.

You've turned Germans into some sort of horrible emo group who have national PTSD when their favourite bear fishes out the fish stocked man-made creek in his cage. People with red-hair as the ultimate sign of being caucasoid are now some sort of ultimate reverse racism target of hatred.

You've gone to far - expect the smack down to hurt.

Oddly enough, you would find that the Germans themselves are extremely ruthless in stamping out Nazi symbolism and expression (one might say ... they feel the need to be Nazis about it). As, unsurprisingly, are many other European nations.

I don't think the feeling is quite as serious or even given much regard in the US because the people here, by and large, didn't actually have to experience the war, and they don't see it every day when they walk around their cities. You cannot go to Europe and not see the effects of the ravages of war on the landscape. Hence why we have an odd (and disgusting) melange of beautiful old buildings plopped right alongside these brutalist, concrete monstrosities designed as a cheap and efficient way to house people left homeless by the bombing.

Hell, some cities in Germany had all but a handful of their entire Jewish population liquidated in the Camps. For Americans, aside from those who served or escaped to the US after the war, Nazism and its symbols may not be a big deal for you but they are for the people, nations, and continent that have spent the last 60 years trying to shake off the trouble that German destruction brought us. We would not have the bloated welfare state, nor we would have much of the continent dreadfully backwards thanks to the Communists were it not for WW2. We wouldn't even have the EU! haha.

Anyhow.

Originally posted by DerepentLEstranger
reply to post by Blackmarketeer

 

lol watch now how the justifiers try to claim it's a reference to persians or some crap like that

the history you were taught is a lie

A point, the term Aryan is only correctly used wrt the Persian group it was MISUSED by the National Socialists. It is not a lie in history, but rather people not being that broadly educated.

Originally posted by Aeons
I judge you merely for liking Kiss. So carry on.

C'mon!

Rock and Roll All Nite
Detroit Rock City
Love Gun

IMHO, People should actually be offended by people who dislike Kiss, not people who use "SS" flags and name bases "Aryan".



Cheers

reply to post by duality90


Yes, the level of stupidity that Germany has about this subject is quite insane. I know. They literally think that they can regulate people's minds in parliament. A mass social experiment in using national shame as a form of thought police enforcement.

Every time I see a new example of this insanity I wonder how long until Ouroboros realizes he's eating his tail.

reply to post by Aloysius the Gaul




i had no idea...

reply to post by Aeons


Damn the Nazi's are accepting jews now?? (Afteral Gene is one )