ABSTRACT
Our thought processes operate on the basis of categories. We have cultural concepts of what is right and wrong, of what exists, of the past and the future. Samuel Huntington was a highly respected political scientist. Rational thought, inescapable in the domain of the sciences, is often in very short supply when it comes to matters of a social, economic, or political nature. The refusal to see the openings for fruitful dialogue between different cultures is based on an even more invidious position. Samuel Huntington was concerned that the US is not a culturally homogeneous "nation". The impotence of the governments in many Islamic countries, as well as the lack of creativity in confronting cultural challenges of the West among Islamic circles leads to extreme emotional reactions. Evidently, matters did not improve when the military used local interpreters instead of anthropologists. Again the Times reported an accurate and sobering analysis of the situation.
