Afghanistan Base 'Aryan' Raises Objections From Soldiers Over Name

Originally posted by Qemyst

Originally posted by aching_knuckles

Do you understand HOW it POSSIBLY be misconstrued and give the US a blackeye when it least needs it?

Sure I do.

Let's say America decides to keep the name Aryan for the base.

2 countries get mad and grill the USA about it.

USA simply replies "Aryan stands for Noble here, folks. Here's the source showing what it means. Therefore, any outrage can be put to rest. We appreciate your concern over the name, but we feel it's meaning is harmless and have decided to keep it."

Originally posted by aching_knuckles
Hrm, if you were an 18 year old black kid or Mexican kid, what would you think when forced to report to Base Camp Aryan?

If I knew that it stood for "Noble" or something else, I wouldn't care to be honest. I'm as offended by Nazi ideals as the next guy, as it heavily influenced my family. I've even discussed this topic and the Scout Sniper flag with them. None are upset over it because they know that it's not meant to represent Nazi ideals in any way.

Strange how some people are offended by it, when others, who were equally as affected by the Nazis aren't offended.

You keep saying "Are all the service members that objected to it wrong? Sometimes its not everybody else."

Here's a novel concept. Sometimes NO-ONE is wrong. This is one of those cases.

Cheers.

One question:

Have you EVER used aryan to mean noble in a sentence, as in

"The bald eagle is a majestic and aryan creature."

Even just once in your life? Ive read ALOT of books, talked to ALOT of people, and Ive never heard anyone say that once. I am familiar with another meaning as the peoples of the region, but that is rarely referred to in casual conversation in English.

Originally posted by aching_knuckles
One question:

Have you EVER used aryan to mean noble in a sentence, as in

"The bald eagle is a majestic and aryan creature."

Even just once in your life? Ive read ALOT of books, talked to ALOT of people, and Ive never heard anyone say that once. I am familiar with another meaning as the peoples of the region, but that is rarely referred to in casual conversation in English.

That doesn't matter. What it comes down to is what something means, if it means anything at all. Because a word isn't commonly used to describe something doesn't mean it can't still mean something in certain cases.

I'm sure many cities and bases have names that aren't commonly used when speaking nowadays but have actual meaning.

They could have named the base Aryan simply because the word has a nice ring to it, which I sort of think it does.
They could have named it Aryan BECAUSE it means "Noble".

If they chose the name Aryan because it sounded cool, they weren't wrong in doing so, and they wouldn't be wrong if they chose to keep it.

If they chose the name Aryan because it meant Noble, they weren't wrong in doing so, and they wouldn't be wrong if they chose to keep it.

Both are perfectly acceptable reasons to decide on a name.

Now, as I have said, if they choose to keep the people who are offended by it happy, that's their choice, and they wouldn't be wrong in doing so.

I think the people who are offended by it, however, are offended because they WANT to be, not because it comes natural to them. Like I said, the Nazis have greatly affected my family and non are offended by any of it, because we would have to go out of our way to be offended by it. In other words, it would be a chore to be offended by it, and would simply make life harder to have something else to be offended by. Some people choose to go out of their way to be offended by these things. Not us.

Cheers

Originally posted by aching_knuckles

Originally posted by beezzer

Originally posted by aching_knuckles

Originally posted by beezzer

It was American soldiers that brought this to the attention of everyone involved and they should be applauded.

*Salute*

Doesnt the article say Afghani troops as well? Salute them as well, right?

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

Sure. I just didn't see too much Afghan soldier bashing. T'is why I focused on American soldiers.

Well wait. "Bashing" means that it is undeserved; so which is it? You are trying to play both angles. You are trying to give credit but yet not accept blame, where it is deserved.

Cant have it both ways.

Haters gotta hate, don't you?

Okay, lets place blame. Who's Sec. of Defense? Oh yeah, Panneta, Obama's pick.

Where's the "buck" stop for you?

If the Nazi's are alive and well in the US Army like is claimed.. why are they fighting the Jews and Israels Wars? Riddle me that..

edit.. just one last thing.. haven't the German people been guilted enough over the past 70years?
Isn't it about time we gave them a break? I think they have been slandered enough and deserve a fresh start, guilt free.. afterall, the people who participated in the war crimes are long dead.. why torture their descendants with this BS over and over agan ad nauseum..

Seeing Nazi's in every little symbol and gesture that might popup is just ludricous.

I've personally had enough of it.. I know the Jews wont let it go.. because of the pester power trip they get from it.. but can't everyone else just live and learn and move on already?

Laughing at all the peoples in this thread who think Aryan in this case means anything other than white supremacy of the west over sand people.

Even if you go back to the root of the word, in Hindu, what does that have to do with modern Afghanistanis? Or Iranians, since so many of the ignorant will forever claim the Iranians are Aryans. There is no such thing as an Aryan race, do some research FFS.

This is just power mad Americans showing the world how disrespectful they are.

Originally posted by PrecogPsychicSensitive
If the Nazi's are alive and well in the US Army like is claimed.. why are they fighting the Jews and Israels Wars? Riddle me that..

edit.. just one last thing.. haven't the German people been guilted enough over the past 70years?
Isn't it about time we gave them a break? I think they have been slandered enough and deserve a fresh start, guilt free.. afterall, the people who participated in the war crimes are long dead.. why torture their descendants with this BS over and over agan ad nauseum..

Seeing Nazi's in every little symbol and gesture that might popup is just ludricous.

I've personally had enough of it.. I know the Jews wont let it go.. because of the pester power trip they get from it.. but can't everyone else just live and learn and move on already?

edit on 14-2-2012 by PrecogPsychicSensitive because: edit

edit on 14-2-2012 by PrecogPsychicSensitive because: sp

the german people?!?! damn near every country in europe has been kicking out payments for the holocaust since the war, just ask hungary about that. this is a meal ticket and means of generational brainwashing. when france acknowledged the armenian genocide, israel went nuts and the top jews claimed that the term "genocide" is soley for THEM and the holocaust. I wouldn't be a bit surprised if there is nazi sentiment brewing in the forces, who the hell wants to risk their lives for war that is 50% for the interest of israel and 50% for the interest of jew owned contractors.

Originally posted by oxykerfluffle
This is just power mad Americans showing the world how disrespectful they are.

So you're going to provide your concrete evidence of that, no doubt.

reply to post by seabag


That was priceless there they are bashing the us for the "usage of SS and aryan" but none will ever ever

EVER condemn Iran !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Originally posted by Qemyst

Originally posted by oxykerfluffle
This is just power mad Americans showing the world how disrespectful they are.

So you're going to provide your concrete evidence of that, no doubt.

The United States military is doing a good enough job of that on it's own.

Pissing on dead Afghanistan soldiers. Check.
Posing in front of a Nazi SS flag. Check.
Naming a base "Aryan". Check.
Abu Ghraib. Torture and Humilation of prisoners. Check.
Defiling the Koran with feces. Check.

If someone asked me to name a military post in Afghanistan, I can think of hundreds, thousands even, and all of them would have a positive meaning, not one as negative and repulsive as the connotation of a "Master Race".

What's the message we send with a name like that? "We're here to enslave you, submit to your racial superiors." May as well call it Camp Hitler.

Originally posted by oxykerfluffle

Originally posted by Qemyst

Originally posted by oxykerfluffle
This is just power mad Americans showing the world how disrespectful they are.

So you're going to provide your concrete evidence of that, no doubt.

The United States military is doing a good enough job of that on it's own.

Pissing on dead Afghanistan soldiers. Check.
Posing in front of a Nazi SS flag. Check.
Naming a base "Aryan". Check.
Abu Ghraib. Torture and Humilation of prisoners. Check.
Defiling the Koran with feces. Check.

If someone asked me to name a military post in Afghanistan, I can think of hundreds, thousands even, and all of them would have a positive meaning, not one as negative and repulsive as the connotation of a "Master Race".

What's the message we send with a name like that? "We're here to enslave you, submit to your racial superiors." May as well call it Camp Hitler.

That's not evidence of America showing the world how disrespectful they are. That's evidence of INDIVIDUALS showing how disrespectful they are. Those are isolated cases of morons pissing on a dead soldier or torturing and humiliating prisoners, or defiling the Koran. It's not like 100% of the soldiers are all doing that on a regular basis.

I think you'll need a bit more proof than that.

I dont think the us military are Nazi's

I do firmly believe you can use terms like Aryan and you can even use the pin wheel if you so wish as symbol...


However i dont think anyone that was front line or using the name Aryan really new its background, like one or two may have but in the grand scheme of things they were probably trying to be clever.. probably (like those snipers with the SS flag) being a little racist and now its came out and they got caught...


you put a ton of adrenaline soaked jarheads in the front line getting gunned down your gonna breed racism... but its like football (soccer) what we call 90 minute biggotry it doesnt mean they come home all racist (most dont anyway)

Originally posted by oxykerfluffle
Pissing on dead Afghanistan soldiers. Check.
Posing in front of a Nazi SS flag. Check.
Naming a base "Aryan". Check.
Abu Ghraib. Torture and Humilation of prisoners. Check.
Defiling the Koran with feces. Check.

Originally posted by Qemyst
That's not evidence of America showing the world how disrespectful they are. That's evidence of INDIVIDUALS showing how disrespectful they are. Those are isolated cases of morons pissing on a dead soldier or torturing and humiliating prisoners, or defiling the Koran. It's not like 100% of the soldiers are all doing that on a regular basis.

I think you'll need a bit more proof than that.

That's called breeding a culture of contempt and disrespect. This is where the REAL MEN are supposed to step in and teach these juvenile racist a**holes a lesson in history.

I don't see that happening. All I see are a bunch of man-childs whining and making excuses. This is exactly how the "Haditha Massacre" happened - no one tried to reign in the blatant racist thug attitude of those soldiers and they committed mass murder of unarmed civilians including women and children.

reply to post by oxykerfluffle


I agree that the soldiers pissing on the dead body, the guys torturing and humiliating prisoners, and those desecrating the Koran should all be severely punished.

That's seriously saddening stuff and is beyond what simply needed to be done. It's definitely not something that should have been allowed to happen.

It's a few individuals showing how disrespectful they are though, and certainly isn't evidence of America being Nazis or being white supremacists.

The use of the name Aryan for that base is also not evidence of white supremacy or Nazism, nor is the use of the "SS" flag.

Haven't dug through the pages but the term Aryan originates from a very old group of people in the Indus valley. It actually goes far back in prehistoric times in regarding India and civilization itself.These people are light skinned with light colored eyes, when compared to their surroundings. You can find these people throughout Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and India.

There is a lot of information on this topic that goes in depth into the origins of India's beliefs from the Indus valley. I highly suggest you research the Vedas or Vedic period for a more in depth look into the term "Aryan".

Just goes to show how ignorant people are in regarding certain matters.

The picture below is a modern day Aryan in the middle east, two of them are Iranian I believe.

Double post.

neo-Nazi rhetoric (think AMERICAN rhetoric now)

Aryaan is the term most Afghani's use for their own ethnic group, go figure.

Its pretty much how the West also stole the term "Caucasian" which refers to mediterranean/cacausus mountain area people - not anglo-saxons or northern europeans (of which America is almost 90%)

It's like highlander, there could only be one. These forces of evil are never defeated. They invade a country and when they completely destroy it they move on.

It is arrogant to think man can control it.

It's America's turn. As long as they do it's bidding, they will continue to be used.

But total destruction is enivitable.

Here's the most likely reason it may be called 'Aryan'

Between 2000–1200 BC, a branch of Indo-European-speaking tribes known as the Aryans began migrating into the region.
Afghanistan was inhabited by the Aryan tribes and controlled by the Medes until about 500 BC when Darius the Great (Darius I) marched with his Persian army to make it part of the Zoroastrian Achaemenid Empire.

I highly doubt the name of the base was intended to be in any way related with Nazism or racism. That being said they might as well just change it now considering the bad press recently.

Originally posted by SLAYER69
Seems kind of fitting considering the very ancient history of the region and location of their deployment. The Term Aryan [As well as the Swastika] were highjacked by the NAZI's

But, I'm sure this thread will deteriorate into another "OMG the US military are a bunch of NAZI's!"

Have at it...

PEACE

edit on 13-2-2012 by SLAYER69 because: (no reason given)

Well if our military wasn't acting like they are trying to conquer the world, then maybe they could get away with not being associated. But when they use names and symbols that recall Nazism and at the same time are invading other countries... What do you expect?

I too wish that we could look at things in black and white and say that these symbols don't hold a negative connotation. That's not going to happen while we make war on the world.

I was going to comment but since the article claims that it's an alleged name, I've decided to withhold judgment until more details come out. It seems like these stories are designed to rile up civilians and they do work to an extent.

I'm still disappointed in the snipers that used the lightning bolt SS flag. They have to know what that means. If they don't, then our educational system has failed them.