Thanks for the comment. I do agree that jokes have more than a structural meaning or, rather, as the reflection of a structural disjuncture. As to what their particular intentions behind the “how” of their jokes were, I’ve no idea.

On your last point, I’ll have to disagree with your premise that they are instrumental in creating the situation in either Afghanistan or Iraq. To the best of my knowledge, both of them have been quite open with their belief that the war in Iraq (at least) should never have happened – a view I hold as well.

I certainly agree that the decision of the Bush Administration to go into Iraq should be critiqued. But I also would argue that the decision to go into Iraq is different from current decisions and debates on what to do since the MNF is already there.

Marc

I mean, yeah, it’s a joke, intended to be funny, even (maybe) a formalization of the common groping for understanding between anthros and military.

But jokes have meanings other than structural ones. McFate make choices about *how* to joke about that relationship, and that isn’t addressed by dismissing it as a typical example of a joking relationship.

More importantly, we’re talking about people (both M and S McFate) who are desperately seeking outlets to the “horror” that *they themselves* are instrumental in creating! That seems to bear a little critiquing, I’d say.