Language Familiarity, Cultural Awareness Critical in Iraq

Army Lt. Gen. Peter Chiarelli, the outgoing commander of Multinational Corps Iraq, told journalists in Baghdad that language training and awareness of Iraqi and Arab culture are absolutely necessary for service members deploying to Iraq, He said this was pointed out by a poll conducted among 1st Cavalry Division Soldiers following their 2004 deployment to Iraq. The idea is not to have every service member fluent in Arabic, but rather to have an understanding of some common phrases they need to use on a daily basis, he said. Troops need to have that knowledge when they arrive, and not three months later after having to learn them via “the school of hard knocks,” the general said. Cultural sensitivity helps prevent service members from creating problems for themselves through ignorance, and this improves force protection, General Chiarelli said.