[Lockbox]

Every time you read an article or see someone speaking from the Middle East, remember, remember.

[Grut]

Gosh! Weren't things like this being said about German Jews seventy years ago?

[vetvetdoug]

Mr. Barak is correct. It is almost impossible for one with Judeo-Christian ethics to expect Arabs to deal with us honestly and earnestly. That is why Arabs only respect the position of strength which means diplomacy is out.

[GreatOne]

What do you expect from people who practice a faith like Islam, a gutter religion based on the rantings of a David Koresh-like character? Bunch of nutjobs.

[GreatOne]

What do you expect from people who practice a faith like Islam, a gutter religion based on the rantings of a David Koresh-like character? Bunch of nutjobs.

[elbucko]

"Truth is seen as an irrelevant category,"

Truth is morally relevant to most pre-Western societies. The concept that a man's word is his honor is closer to English common law than the three main Middle Eastern religions. That's the problem, how can a trio of liars arrive at a peaceful consensus. Put another way; How many bimbo's could dance inside Bill Clinton's shorts?

[NorCoGOP]

There is only that which serves your purpose and that which doesn't

Yeah, just try to buy something at a shop in the Middle East - learned the hard way on a port visit to Karachi - haggling over pricing is a culturally accepted norm to them, but very hard for us to learn...

[Vidalia]

Their lying is not only a cultural trait, it is a sport as well.

What else do you think these people have been doing for centuries while sitting around the campfire in the middle of nowhere with nothing else to do?

The more complicated and bombastic, the more "points" they score with each other, as in Hussein's utterly laughable "Mother of all Wars".

"Mean what you say and say what you mean" is totally foreign to these 45 year old children with AK-47s...

[Dianna]

Well that explains it, Clinton must have been an Arab.

[Salvey]

Many years ago (perhaps 30 or even more) the New York Times magazine section had a cover article dealing with this identical subject (i.e., the arab mind and the truth). I've searched high and low for it, without success -- including mentioning it on this site before. Does anyone here have access to it?

[Eala]

"They are products of a culture in which to tell a lie... creates no dissonance,"

This is something I've been pondering for a while. I've never understood how they could tell such transparent lies so bald-facedly. Of the various things I've seen that could be a reason, this is more straight-forward and simpler than most.

[HardStarboard]

In a book I read on the formation of the modern middle east (an oxymoron if I ever heard one) a British diplomat who had spent much time among the Arabs opened his speech to Parliment with these words:

"The Arab, that child of the lie....." Says it all.

[scratchgolfer]

Most Arabs believe Jews were behind 9-11. They are liars and delusional.

[dennisw]

ping

[Nonstatist]

The Arabs are either at your throat or at your feet. The only thing they understand is Force. Unfortunate, but true.

[semaj]

Would you expect any different from the Children of Allah a.k.a. The Father of Lies a.k.a. Satan?

[copycat]

Barak speaks the truth. Who didn't read the story of the man who promised not to harm his daughter then shot her dead the moment they got home?

[B-Cause]

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THIS is what our Nation is responding to.
Please remember this in the difficult times ahead.

Takes a while to load, but worth it!

Click here

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[VOYAGER]

"Truth is seen as an irrelevant category," he says."There is only that which serves your purpose and that which doesn't.

They see themselves as emissaries of a national movement for whom everything is permissible.

There is no such thing as 'the truth'."

If I didn't know better I would say this article could have been speaking about the attitude of many of the members of the U.S. Congress.

Isn't this amazing?

[FreedomPoster]

See this thread:

Islamic Concept of Al-Taqiyah to infiltrate and destroy kafir countries

for an interesting related discussion. From the thread, we have:

Al-Taqiyah, from the verb Ittaqu, means linguistically dodge the threat. Politically it means simulate whatever status you need in order to win the war against the enemy ...

According to Al-Taqiyah, Muslims were granted the Shar'iyee right (legitimacy) to infiltrate the Dar el-Harb (war zone), infiltrate the enemy's cities and forums and plant the seeds of discord and sedition. These agents were acting on behalf of the Muslim authority at war, and therefore were not considered as lying against or denouncing the tenants of Islam.

Part of the historical origin for this Islamic trait.

[Cold Heat]

Palestinians have no compunction about telling lies and see truth as irrelevant

Boy! isn't this the truth.

This trait extends to the entire Islamic world. It's un-explainable.