Proposed Army manual's scary message for our troops in Afghanistan

Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel announced in May that the military's ban on transgender service should “continually be reviewed,” but stopped short of saying it should be overturned. Three retired generals are now saying the time is now. (Reuters)

Nov. 23, 2012: A U.S. soldier stands guard at the site of suicide attack in Wardak Province of Kabul Afghanistan. (AP)

The classic example of “blaming the victim” is where a rape victim is accused of "asking for it" because of what she was wearing. Now hear this: The Pentagon wants to do the same thing to American soldiers killed by Afghan soldiers.

Instead of blaming Taliban infiltration or other causes, the draft of a new Army handbook says ignorance of local culture drove many of the insider attacks that killed 63 Americans and other allied forces this year alone.

“Many of the confrontations occur because of [coalition] ignorance of, or lack of empathy for, Muslim and/or Afghan cultural norms, resulting in a violent reaction from the [Afghan security force] member,” the handbook says, according to The Wall Street Journal, which reviewed the 75-page document.

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The handbook says troops should avoid “making derogatory comments about the Taliban, advocating women’s rights, any criticism of pedophilia, directing any criticism towards Afghans, mentioning homosexuality and homosexual conduct” or “anything related to Islam.”

In other words, Americans should shut their eyes and mouths while risking their lives to build a nation for people they can’t talk to or trust.

That’s insane. Unfortunately, it’s also consistent with denial of reality by the Obama administration. They tread very close to blaming America for everything wrong in the world, including the rise of radical Islamists, and facts don’t get in the way.

Gen. John Allen, the Marine general heading our Afghan forces, rejected the manual and a foreword in his name. “He does not approve of its contents,” an aide told the Journal.

Allen remains under investigation because of his connection to Jill Kelley, the Florida woman whose complaints about harassing emails eventually exposed former CIA boss David Petraeus’ affair with Paula Broadwell.

Maybe, just maybe, if Allen suddenly approves the outrageous field manual, the probe against him will be dropped. Stranger things have happened in the last four years.

To continue reading Michael Goodwin's column in the New York Post on other topics, including a suggestion for Speaker Boehner, click here.