Music to Interrogate By

Metal and Barney used to break Iraqi holdouts:

U.S. military units have been breaking Saddam supporters with long sessions in which they’re forced to listen to heavy-metal and children’s songs. “Trust me, it works,” says one U.S. operative.

The idea, says Sgt. Mark Hadsell, is to break a subject’s resistance by annoying that person with what some Iraqis would consider culturally offensive music. The songs that are being played include “Bodies” from the Vin Diesel “XXX” movie soundtrack and Metallica’s “Enter Sandman.” “These people haven’t heard heavy metal before,” he explains. “They can’t take it.” [Newsweek]

Or Barney. I would think they actually be frightened by the “Cookie Monster” vocals of “Bodies.”

This is another example of where cultural insularity puts Islamic civilization at a disadvantage: I could listen to Iraqi music all day, I like it.