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DOUG GONZALEZ / The Dartmouth Senior Staff
DOUG GONZALEZ / The Dartmouth Senior Staff
A basic knowledge of geography is essential, though often lacking, when politicians decide to invade countries such as Afghanistan, according to Harm de Blij, former geography editor for ABC's "Good Morning America." Blij's lecture which took place Wednesday morning in Spaulding Auditorium was titled "Afghanistan, Key to the Future of South Asia."
The United States lags behind other nations in geographic knowledge because American education focuses more on history rather than geography, Blij said.
"We are not nearly as good as Nigerians, Australians, Brazilians or I hate to say it even the French," he said.
Ignorance about geography still persists among politicians today and was prevalent prior to the invasion of Afghanistan, Blij said.
Blij said he wanted to shoot a "bazooka through the television" after hearing Sen.