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| Iraq |
| US Marines Honing Up on Iraq Culture and Islam |
| 2004-02-01 |
| The handbook is not a bad read, but it runs to 124 pages Arab News As the Marine Corps prepares to redeploy into Iraq, theyâre honing up on more than weapons and offensive tactics. This time, theyâre also learning about Arab culture and Islam. âA better educated Marine is less likely to make mistakes on the ground,â said Lt. Col. Nicholas Klaus, deputy director of the Washington-based Marine Corps Institute. Discussing the launch of the Marine Corps handbook, âIraq: an Introduction to the Country and People,â he said, âWe want to help the Marines better understand the Iraqi people by increasing their knowledge of this region.â High-ranking Marines have told this correspondent there are plans to increase interaction with Iraqis and emphasize respect to civilians. Most of the upcoming deployments will occur in the next two months, they said, when platoons of Marines will be sent to live among Iraqis in their towns and villages. âTo successfully do this, theyâll need to know about the people, culture, religion and history of the country,â Klaus told Arab News. âLast year, when we knew we were going back into Iraq, we thought it would be important to educate Marines and give them some background history and knowledge of the culture to help them better relate to the Iraqis. Weâre not trying to make them experts, just trying to give them general information, because with better education theyâre less likely to make mistakes on the ground.â Recognizing that most Marines are in the 18-to-22 year age bracket, and that many have not been exposed to other cultures, Klaus said the handbook is intended to be an objective educational reference. âWe tried to put it in a style they could immediately grasp and understand,â said David Garnett, director of the Student Services Department at the Marine Corps Institute, who researched and wrote the handbook and has extensive experience in the Mideast. Last year, the handbook was only available on the web; the new edition will also be available in hardback form. âIn a deployed environment, access to computers is extremely limited,â said Klaus. âNow Marines wonât have to be plugged into anything to access it.â How the handbook will be utilized is up to the commanders of individual units, said Klaus. âThey will be responsible in deciding how they want to use it. Some will have formal instruction and have people teach portions of it, others will just hand it out and tell them to read it.â The objective, he said, âis to ensure our Marines are not going in blind.â The newly-reissued 124-page handbook not only covers basics about the culture, history, religion, culture and people, but also delves into analysis. It has already made key changes and updates, which cover the end of conflict, the capture of Saddam Hussein, and added more history and background information. Future editions will include a specific language section and details on customs, said Klaus and Garnett. For more information, log onto: www.mci.usmc.mil and click onto the square box icon on the left, entitled âIraq.â |
| Posted by:tipper |
| #7 Yeah, we're getting ramped up. Iraqis will see some of my bros from the 2d Marines in March. More to come for the next couple years. I'm gearing up for either this September or February '05. Just waiting on the orders. Gonna start brushing up on Arabic this summer. I know a bit about the culture from a lot I've studied. I'll probably be picking the brains of you world travelers out there on what you know about their customs and courtesies. |
| Posted by: Jarhead 2004-2-1 11:10:50 PM |
| #6 Shipman, Perhaps we should drop a few hundred thousand copies of How to live with the Marines over Syria... kind of a heads-up you might say :) |
| Posted by: CrazyFool 2004-2-1 9:49:01 PM |
| #5 I just posted a related story of Army unit training at Fort Polk for Iraq duty. |
| Posted by: Gasse Katze 2004-2-1 4:00:27 PM |
| #4 How To Live With The Marines Hey! I can't find this on Amazon! Cheez, I thought this would be a best-seller :-) |
| Posted by: Steve White 2004-2-1 12:52:08 PM |
| #3 What's not being reported in this story is about the distribution of 1.2 million of copies of How To Live With The Marines it's full of tips like.... How keep your eyes on your feet, If it's green it's sir, 5 ways to sit quietly, Slow moving is Fun! Why touching hurts, Yes, it's a Dawg, and my favorite chapter... My name is Sgt. Goldstein and yes they are X-ray. |
| Posted by: Shipman 2004-2-1 12:05:32 PM |
| #2 JFM - don't worry too much about PC Marines. While all training covers theory, emphasis is always placed on the practical and real-world application. It always struck me as ironic that the same organization that has a Commandant's reading list (theory) for all ranks will also teach you to kill with rocks and sticks(practical). |
| Posted by: doc8404 2004-2-1 11:57:25 AM |
| #1 A good idea but my fear is that they get a politically correct version of Islam. There have been and there have very good Muslims but they are despite Islam. There are peaceful parts in Koran and the good guys (or the propagandists) cling to these parts. But for the radicals these parts are superceded by the genocidical Medina surates. I fear that the politicaly correct version these Marines will get will be a pro-Islam propaganda instead of aimed to make them understand the weaknesses of the enemy. |
| Posted by: JFM 2004-2-1 8:40:21 AM |