Article

2004-08-26 Iraq-Jordan

Cultural Sensitivity Lessons for US Marines in Iraq

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Posted by Mike Sylwester 2004-08-26 10:40:20 AM|| || Front Page|| [2 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 Very nice. However, I'm waiting for the day when will we start handing out phamplets on how Americans like to be treated. I'm darn sick of this be nice to others crap.

Posted by Jim K 2004-08-26 10:46:59 AM|| 2004-08-26 10:46:59 AM|| Front Page Top

#2 Amount of facial hair is considered directly proportional to religious faith. ...

ZZTop-the next imams of Arabia?

Posted by jules 187 2004-08-26 10:50:13 AM|| 2004-08-26 10:50:13 AM|| Front Page Top

#3 Touching among same sex is not considered homosexual. Good friends often hold hands as a sign of friendship.

I noticed the same sort of behavior in Okinawa. They learn pretty fast not to touch the Marines.

Posted by BH 2004-08-26 10:54:42 AM|| 2004-08-26 10:54:42 AM|| Front Page Top

#4 Marine culture tends to osmotically effect everyone around them. To start with, the Iraqi soldiers who fight alongside Marines are going to become very disciplined and badass: they will become an Iraqi elite force. Female Marines are going to be a splash of cold water in everyone's face. After a period of men being utterly intimidated by them, then amazed by them, then impressed all to heck by them--then the Iraqi men will start to consider what is more attractive: strong, intelligent women; or ignorant sheep, covered by burqas. And Iraqi women are going to be really hard to hold down, once they see what they *could have* become, or *might still* become.
As far as Iraqi culture goes, you would be impressed at the staggering cultural changes that have happened in Okinawa because of the Marines.

Posted by Anonymoose 2004-08-26 11:21:38 AM|| 2004-08-26 11:21:38 AM|| Front Page Top

#5 Arabs perceive problems as someoneâs plot to make their life more unpleasant. We may view this as paranoia. ....

Correction: It IS paranoia.

Posted by Bomb-a-rama 2004-08-26 11:27:13 AM|| 2004-08-26 11:27:13 AM|| Front Page Top

#6 #3 Touching among same sex is not considered homosexual. Good friends often hold hands as a sign of friendship.

I noticed the same sort of behavior in Okinawa. They learn pretty fast not to touch the Marines.

So are you saying that maybe "John-John" should go run for office in Baghdad? Buddy of mine said his daughter had a friend at school who saw video of Kerry and Edwards the other day hugging and holding hands and asked her parents if they were gay (oops, homosexual). Hillarious!

Posted by BA 2004-08-26 11:41:47 AM|| 2004-08-26 11:41:47 AM|| Front Page Top

#7 "I'm darn sick of this be nice to others crap."

>I'd usually agree w/you. OTOH, we are in their country. I think your statement would be good for those who are trying to emigrate here. Like as soon as they get off the damn boat someone hands them a pamphlet on how not to piss us off. The opening paragraph could be......."you're no longer in Iraq/Iran/Pakistan/Albania/Somalia........and we don't give a shit how you did it in the old country, be a good citizen, learn the language or shut the fuck up and leave."

Posted by Jarhead 2004-08-26 11:50:36 AM|| 2004-08-26 11:50:36 AM|| Front Page Top

#8 Jarhead - Damn right! I'm tired of us having to kowtow to foreigners in our own country.

Touching among same sex is not considered homosexual. Good friends often hold hands as a sign of friendship.

I've seen this also in the Philippines. You often see pairs of women walking down the street holding hands or with their arms around each other. Its a sign of friendship and not homosexuality.

Posted by CrazyFool 2004-08-26 12:00:26 PM|| 2004-08-26 12:00:26 PM|| Front Page Top

#9 Jarhead.

Point taken. I should have been more specific in my comment. You hit it on the head.

Posted by Jim K 2004-08-26 12:49:37 PM|| 2004-08-26 12:49:37 PM|| Front Page Top

#10 ..Actually, there's nothing unusual about this - I've seen booklets from WWII instructing Marines, soldiers, and sailors on how to treat the locals in unusual places, and I've got lots of materials from the Reagan era on how to behave around Arabs when deployed. Having said that, Jarhead's got a point - after we lost three thousand people to 'cultural differences', there comes a time when we need to say, "we don't give a rat's ass."

Mike

Posted by Mike Kozlowski 2004-08-26 1:53:24 PM|| 2004-08-26 1:53:24 PM|| Front Page Top

#11 How to treat Americans:

.... Handshakes are preferred to be firm and manly. Americans are uncomfortable being hung on to. Shake the hand, then get down to business; don't fondle it. Females shake hands the same way a man does, but don't make it a contest of strength. Depending on the woman, you might lose...

Americans don't kiss each other unless they're married, courting, or otherwise want to have sex. Keep that in mind if you feel a pucker coming on ....

General rule: Treat every American as though he was a CEO.

Touching among men is considered a sign of homosexuality unless you're playing football, in which case a discreet bit of ass-grab is okay. But don't take it too far, bub...

Americans occasionally gesture with their hands, but they don't as a rule speak Italian. If they flip you the bird it's okay to be offended. Otherwise, ignore it.

American women, and Americans in general, don't like being stared at. Mind your own damned business. A simple verbal greeting will suffice.

Do not ask men how their women are doing. It's okay to ask about the wife and/or kiddies if you've met them. Otherwise, pretend they don't exists unless the American brings up the subject.

Showing family pictures is a good way to open relations. A picture of your wife wearing a gunny sack with nothing but her eyes showing will say to an American that you do not respect women. ....

Americans perceive problems as something to be solved and people who whine as impediments to solutions. Shut your fudge up.

Americans take reasonable measures for safety. If you don't, and something gets hosed, they will sue the pants off you, your family, the company you work for, your govenment, and possibly your hemisphere.

Some Americans wear beards, some have moustaches, some don't. I told you they don't like being stared at, didn't I?

Posted by Fred 2004-08-26 2:30:05 PM|| 2004-08-26 2:30:05 PM|| Front Page Top

#12 Friend of mine spent much time in the ME training notionally allied armed forces. He says that as an ignorant American totally unaware of local customs, he always made a habit of shaking hands with his left hand.

Posted by Classical_Liberal 2004-08-26 2:43:41 PM|| 2004-08-26 2:43:41 PM|| Front Page Top

#13 How to treat Americans, continued:

Offer them a beer. It's d*mn hot out here!

Americans are not impressed with the size of your turban, the curliness of your slippers, or your proclivity to fire automatic weapons in the air for "celebration."

Do you have something cool for us to buy? We pay cash. Do we make something you could use? Let's talk. But enough with this haggling sh*t. In the USA, the price on the tag is the price that you pay.

And stop staring!

Posted by Seafarious 2004-08-26 2:47:33 PM|| 2004-08-26 2:47:33 PM|| Front Page Top

#14 classic -

I'll add a few:

Telling an American how rich/famous/important you are, will only make them think you are a "blow-hard". Those who are wealthy/famous or important will go to lengths to downplay it.

Having "class" has nothing to do with social status.

Lying is not acceptable, unless it is a polite lie. to prevent someone else from being embarrassed. Liars are considered weak and foolish. Being caught in a lie is considered the ultimate embarrassment.

People who are well-bred, NEVER push to the front of a line or demand service (do you know who I am!?), or presume to be more important than others. If someone treats you badly, you are judged by how YOU handle it, not how they behave. In a confrontation, the first one who loses their cool, loses.

When two people come simultaneously to a door or line (que) or whatever, the person who allows the other person to go first is considred the most important. To determine who wins the honor of not going first, take a step back, smile and wait.

Americans think people who exaggerate or make up "tall-tales" are fools. (Unless you are or are trying to be a liberal Senator or President. Then it's ok.)

Posted by B 2004-08-26 3:24:23 PM|| 2004-08-26 3:24:23 PM|| Front Page Top

#15 Go Fred man! B!

Posted by Shipman 2004-08-26 5:25:34 PM|| 2004-08-26 5:25:34 PM|| Front Page Top

#16 Fred/B/Seafarious - excellent job. I am going to cut & paste your comments for later ref as an "American Cultural Senstivity Training" thing I will disseminate to my minions on email back home.

Posted by Jarhead 2004-08-26 5:33:52 PM|| 2004-08-26 5:33:52 PM|| Front Page Top

#17 might want to add: "We know which hands you wipe with (except you, hookboy) - don't try to shake our hands with that one if you want to keep it"

Posted by Frank G 2004-08-26 5:38:18 PM|| 2004-08-26 5:38:18 PM|| Front Page Top

#18 My two bits:

Americans get angry when you thrust your hand at us and say "give up your money, you owe it to us", and then you slander us and call us f*ckers. Your pompous and presumptious demanding over time only makes us snub you.

Americans can get angry when other men argue with them about God-and always get angry when other men argue God with a bomb. We don't avoid the reality of the world as a place of many religions that must somehow reconcile, but we will tell you in no uncertain terms when you are riding too close to our religious autonomy.

Posted by jules 2 2004-08-26 7:10:15 PM|| 2004-08-26 7:10:15 PM|| Front Page Top

#19 And remember when you're dealing with the whites, they are poor in the way of the spirit and will find no inner peace.

But know also they have medicine that is a fear to behold and they will hunt you down like dogs and kill you in a white anger.
They don't count coup.
I advise the reservation.

Posted by Crazy Horse 2004-08-26 7:56:43 PM|| 2004-08-26 7:56:43 PM|| Front Page Top

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