An Army.mil article recently described the tenets of the Islamic celebration of Ramadan.  The military often goes to great lengths to help its members understand Islam due to its intense involvement in the culture in which American forces are deployed.

The Air Force Times carries the Associated Press article on “War doesn’t rest for Islam holy month” [sic].  Though some may view it as a time of rest, particularly with fasting during the daylight hours, that does not translate directly into reduced combat.  In fact, the opposite may be true: 

“We’ve seen a surge one day and then they take one or two days off…,” says Lt. Col. Peter N. Benchoff… “But we have to watch ‘The Night of Power,’ when they believe they have the best chance of getting straight to heaven.”

It is difficult to tell if some comments in the article might actually be tongue in cheek:

“The jihadists tend to get more excited during Ramadan, but they’re fasting so the sugar levels start to decline by noon. Most of the fighting is done in the morning,” says Maj. Gen. Nick Carter, the British commander of NATO forces in southern Afghanistan.