Sharing tea with Iraqis and Afghans was the highlight of Michael Montgomery’s 10-year military career. “Afghan time goes slower,” Montgomery explains. “If you met an elder it would start with tea and take hours. You would talk about a lot of stuff before you got to business.” This process was about finding common ground, and […]
Iraq
What in the World: Tribal Politics, Abortion Access, and Tunnel Wars
POLITICS: Joe Pakootas (D) is the first tribal member to ever make a serious bid for Congress in Washington. He’s not expected to unseat five-term incumbent Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R), but his campaignโand storyโis still noteworthy. (Al-Jazeera) ABORTION: A portion of an Alabama law that sought to require abortion providers to have admitting privileges at a […]
What in the World: Jonah’s Tomb Destroyed, Creepy Dolls a Kind Gesture, and Not-So-Rapid Transit
JONAH: Multiple news agencies are reporting that the militant group ISIS has bombed a site in Iraq believed to be the tomb of Jonah, who Abrahamic religious traditions (Judaism, Christianity, Islam, etc.) teach survived inside of a whale. ISIS is a puritanical sect of Islam that believes all religious shrines are idolatrous, and has destroyed other religious […]
What in the World: Girls with Guns, Diversity Training for The Man, and the Return of Harry Potter?
GIRL POWER: Women in Iraq are learning self-defenseโthe armed and dangerous kindโas the men go off to battle ISIS. Girls as young as 14 are learning to fire AK-47s to protect their younger siblings in case of an attack. (CNN) POLITICS: We already know that brain chemistry can influence a person’s political leanings, but so can the […]

