Friday, September 19, 2008

SunTzu's Art of War: Know Thy Enemy

"Ana raicha Al Qaeda" is colloquial for "I'm going to the toilet". A very common and widespread use of the word "Al- Qaeda" in different Arab countries in the public language is for the toilet bowl. This name comes from the Arabic verb "Qa'ada" which means "to sit" pertinently on the "Toilet Bowl". In most Arabic homes there are two kinds of toilets: "Al-Qaeda", also called the "Hamam Franji" or foreign toilet, and "Hamam Arabi" or "Arab toilet" which is a hole in the ground. Lest we forget it, the potty used by small children is called "Ma Qa'adia" or "Little Qaeda".

So, if you were forming a terrorist group, would you call yourself "The Toilet"?

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