With respect to understanding the Iraqui culture and civilian life in Iraq, how well prepared are US Marines?

Question

Do you think that US marines could be better prepared for their duties in Iraq? What do you think is lacking in their training?

To "Cranky" Thank you for a most thoughtful and analytical response. It was a pleasure reading what you had to say.

Answer 1

I don't know how Marines are prepared, but I will say that culture and language are inextricably entwined. Without a deep understanding of the language of a country, all events will necessarily be filtered through the mother tongue-influenced perceptions of the Marines. Cultural sensitivity training generally focuses on the tolerance and understanding of the foreign visitor, but Marines aren't choir boys, and nor would we want them to be. There are bound to be difficulties.

Answer 2

There is no way to prepare US Marines for the cultural differences they would face in the middle east, nor any American for that matter. The bigger question is why should an American soldier have to worry about the culture of any enemy. He is not going into battle to appease his enemy, he is going to battle to kill his enemy. If you want diplomats on the battlefield, then for god's sake send the State department to fight the wars, not the military. This is the kind of mentality that will get our soldiers killed while the enemy laughs at our stupidity. If we are not going to fight to win, then don't start a war to begin with.

Answer 3

unlike rest of the soldiers the marines equally to undersatnd the culture and habbitats of the local community irrespective of the soil where they land, being US a power ful nation must show their soldier and marines the nature of the enemy land or friendly land, especially the way to mix with them in a friendly way with out damaging the lands culture,

there are lots of history that british army and europe soldiers have spent their lives in the rest of the middle east , but there were no such massive resistance faced as far as people are friendly.
so better undersatnding of the soil where they land as marines is certainly required to fulfill the casue for which the US have sent them for.

Answer 4

As a Marine in Fallujah tried to explain on
Yahoo QA last week .
Without being TOLD what to do , Iraqis , and
suspect Iranians, HAVENT GOT A CLUE
Most of them live Life , as in the Middle-Ages
and the only VALUE they find in religion...
Even then , Shiia and Sunni love THAT so much , they doing their utmost to make HELL
ON EARTH for EACH OTHER . (akbar)

Get outa there , for the West's brave
fighting men , it is like being in an ASYLUM
where the Lunatics have AK47s ....

Nobody ever "TRAINED" for THAT ....

Answer 5

don't mess with the marines
marines have been trained to very well they aren't the ones to accidentally blow up civilians that's an army thing, the marines are more trained and are closer to an infantry and Calvary unit and have less fire support then the army

Answer 6

Based on what right? they no right to land their, not welcome at all.
Even prepared with lazer, the legitimacy is not there, beside, others are not less prepared