Hearts, Minds and Prawn Cocktails
A wee tidbit which is perhaps indicative of why the occupying forces in Afghanistan have failed to win hearts and minds.I chanced upon a Ministry of Defence newspaper which had a mayor feature on new types of field dressing being used in Afghanistan. The dressings contain Chitosan, a compound which reduces blood loss and inhibits sepsis. It sounds like a good biotechnology. Odd, though, that the MoD think it useful to highlight the use of a compound derived from the shells of prawns, which Islam deems haraam.
Remember what happened when rumours spread that bullets were greased with pork fat?
TV nolstagics will recognise the accompanying image as the scampi (with friends), from Fingerbobs. All parts played by Yoffe.
2 comments:
Yes, and this time we don't even have compounds such as Lucknow to withdraw into once the locals have had enough of our ignorance.
I'm not sure that it's 'ignorant' in the same way. Clearly bandages made from prawns are A Good Thing and could only be opposed on the grounds of ignorant superstition. I'd have shut up about it, though.
And as I understand it...the Indian Mutiny bullets probably weren't in fact greased with pig or cow fat - that was just a rumour put around. Religious offence was the least of the British crimes!
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