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Cult of 'Three Cups of Tea' Should Have Known Better
Townhall.com ^ | April 24, 2011 | Debra J. Saunders

Posted on 04/24/2011 5:26:28 AM PDT by Kaslin

The first tip-off that Greg Mortenson's memoir "Three Cups of Tea" has some credibility issues comes in the book's introduction. Co-author David Oliver Relin writes that as Mortenson is flying over Pakistan, the helicopter pilot marvels to Mortenson, "I've been flying in northern Pakistan for 40 years. How is it you know the terrain better than me?"

The pilot also confides, "Flying with President Musharraf, I've become acquainted with many world leaders, many outstanding gentlemen and ladies. But I think Greg Mortenson is the most remarkable person I've ever met."

People don't talk like that. Books don't lead with that level of self-aggrandizement. Unless they want to induct you into a cult.

Last Sunday, "60 Minutes" reporter Steve Kroft ripped into Mortenson's claim of stumbling years ago into a Pakistani village as he descended from a K2 climb and meeting a young girl who asked him to build a school. While he refused Kroft's request for an on-camera interview, in a statement, Mortenson admitted his version of events was "condensed."

It seems Mortenson also fabricated a story of being kidnapped by the Taliban. Kroft interviewed Mansur Khan Mahsud, the research director of an Islamabad think tank, who was surprised to see himself in a photo that Mortenson had claimed showed his 1996 captors.

In the statement, Mortenson explained that "Talib" means student of Arabic. And Khan wants to sue him for defamation.

The worst part: "60 Minutes" checked out 30 of the 141 schools that Mortenson's charity, Central Asia Institute, claimed to have built in Afghanistan and Pakistan "mostly for girls." Kroft reported, "Roughly half were empty, built by someone else or not receiving any support at all."

American Institute of Philanthropy President Daniel Borochoff found that in 2009, CAI spent more on "domestic outreach" -- largely advertising and travel promoting Mortenson's books, "like a book tour" -- than it spent overseas.

"Into Thin Air" author Jon Krakauer, who is mentioned in "Three Cups" as a CAI supporter, charged that Mortenson, who has made millions in book sales, used the charity "as his private ATM."

That revelation must have hit "Three Cups" fans in the gut. The memoir asserts that Mortenson made repeated sacrifices -- such as living in his car rather than pay rent -- because "every wasted dollar stole bricks or books from the school."

But there were so many other signals that the book was problematic.

In "Three Cups," Mortenson charmed his Taliban kidnappers by asking for a Quran and showing his devotion -- and so they let him go. Which is amazing.

More amazing was the claim that they gave him money, saying, "For your schools. So, Inshallah, you'll build many more." (It helps if you forget how bad the Taliban take on education for girls is.)

There were other signals. Writer Ann Marlowe questioned some of the "anti-military nonsense" in a 2008 Forbes commentary. Mortenson claimed that during his stint as an Army medic in Germany, Vietnam veterans were hooked on heroin and died "in their bunks and we'd have to go and collect their bodies." Marlowe suggested that readers take his tales with "three grains of salt."

Instead, he sold 3 million books. Why? Through the pouring of "Three Cups," Mortenson came to personify every liberal conceit. He pushed books, not bombs. He had a nuanced take on Islamic extremism. He's not afraid of terrorism; for him, "the enemy is ignorance."

Marlowe observed, "The implication is that this solitary do-gooder's work is a better model for helping the rural poor in areas that are a breeding ground for Islamic extremism." While to the contrary, the U.S. Army built more schools in just one Afghan province in 15 months than CAI built in a decade.

Listeners of KQED-FM's "Forum" last week were outraged and perplexed. On the one hand, Mortenson has done a lot of good for a lot of children. On the other hand, the "60 Minutes" story makes his fans look gullible.

A caller asked: How are we supposed to know a book is a phony?

Hmmmm. If the cash-giving girls-school-loving Taliban tale doesn't ring a bell, if the constant reminders of Mortenson's greatness -- and modesty -- don't do the trick, maybe there is another warning sign. Global Fund for Women Vice President Shalini Nataraj warned about any memoir that hails "the white savior who's going to come in and save the local people."


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Editorial
KEYWORDS: 60minutes; gregmortenson; mortenson; threecupsoftea
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1 posted on 04/24/2011 5:26:29 AM PDT by Kaslin
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To: Kaslin
He is a liar and his pants are on fire.
He will be on the inside looking out real soon. The Liberals he scammed don't take it too well.
2 posted on 04/24/2011 5:31:15 AM PDT by DeaconRed (TAGLINE: I can't come up with a good one, so I'll revert to my old standby - FUBO)
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To: Kaslin

Interestingly, it was in a great little book by Tom Cruise’s dad, Winning By Intimidation, I first learned the principle that people who tell you they are so ethical, are the absolute worst and not to be trusted.


3 posted on 04/24/2011 5:33:54 AM PDT by Williams (It's the policies, stupid.)
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To: Kaslin

The Obongo book “Dreams from my Father” is just as bogus. Yet reporters won’t touch it with a 10 ft pole


4 posted on 04/24/2011 5:36:16 AM PDT by dennisw (nzt - "works better if you're already smart")
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To: dennisw

And that surprises you?


5 posted on 04/24/2011 5:38:37 AM PDT by Kaslin (Acronym for OBAMA: One Big Ass Mistake America)
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To: Kaslin
Greg Mortenson is the most remarkable person I've ever met

I bet when he drinks beer its Dos Equis.....

6 posted on 04/24/2011 5:42:38 AM PDT by tbpiper
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To: Voter#537

Ironically he lost out for the Nobel Peace Prize to an even bigger liar and fraud

Must be nice work to be on the Nobel committee, they obviously don’t spend time vetting their nominees. Time for another fraud investigation there.


7 posted on 04/24/2011 5:51:53 AM PDT by silverleaf (All that is necessary for evil to succeed, is that good men do nothing)
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To: Kaslin
Three Cups of Tee.


8 posted on 04/24/2011 5:55:46 AM PDT by MuttTheHoople (Democrats- Forgetting 9/11 since 9/12/01)
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To: Kaslin

A liberal and his money are soon parted.


9 posted on 04/24/2011 5:59:46 AM PDT by Clioman
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To: tbpiper
If I never drank beer, Those Ickies would be the brand I didn't drink.
10 posted on 04/24/2011 6:00:48 AM PDT by magslinger (What Would Stephen Decatur Do?)
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To: Kaslin

The con job this guy pulled is nothing when compared to the one pulled by Barry Soetoro.


11 posted on 04/24/2011 6:18:46 AM PDT by Kartographer (".. we mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor.")
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To: Williams

“...people who tell you they are so ethical, are ... not to be trusted.”

That’s the truth.


12 posted on 04/24/2011 6:42:48 AM PDT by SuzyQue (Remember to think.)
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To: Williams
[...] a great little book by Tom Cruise’s dad, Winning By Intimidation [...]

Do you possibly mean "Winning through Intimidation," by Robert J. Ringer (not the father of Tom Cruise)?

Regards,

13 posted on 04/24/2011 7:24:04 AM PDT by alexander_busek
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To: Kaslin
The pilot also confides, "Flying with President Musharraf, I've become acquainted with many world leaders, many outstanding gentlemen and ladies. But I think Greg Mortenson is the most remarkable person I've ever met."

:)

"Raymond Shaw is the kindest, bravest, warmest, most wonderful human being I've ever known in my life."


14 posted on 04/24/2011 7:47:38 AM PDT by yup2394871293
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To: Kaslin

http://www.costcoconnection.com/connection/200907?pg=1&search_term=three cups of tea#pg25

Costco seems to have been taken in.


15 posted on 04/24/2011 8:04:42 AM PDT by sportutegrl
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To: Kaslin
So, is it now acceptable policy on FreeRepublic to believe "60 Minutes"?
16 posted on 04/24/2011 8:09:19 AM PDT by Clint Williams (America -- a great idea, didn't last. The only reasonable response to Jihad is Crusade.)
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To: Kaslin
The worst part: "60 Minutes" checked out 30 of the 141 school

So, is it now acceptable policy on FreeRepublic to believe "60 Minutes"?

17 posted on 04/24/2011 8:09:34 AM PDT by Clint Williams (America -- a great idea, didn't last. The only reasonable response to Jihad is Crusade.)
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To: Williams
Interestingly, it was in a great little book by Tom Cruise’s dad, Winning By Intimidation,

I just checked. Robert Ringer is not Tom Cruise's dad.

18 posted on 04/24/2011 9:10:58 AM PDT by wideminded
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To: Williams
Interestingly, it was in a great little book by Tom Cruise’s dad, Winning By Intimidation,

I just checked. Robert Ringer is not Tom Cruise's dad.

19 posted on 04/24/2011 9:10:58 AM PDT by wideminded
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To: Voter#537

the liberals still love social security, Medicare and Obama, I think they love being scammed.


20 posted on 04/24/2011 12:27:13 PM PDT by donmeaker ("To every simple question, there is a neat, simple answer, that is dead wrong." Mark Twain)
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