US troops taught Iraqi gestures

[Judi Lynn]

Last Updated: Sunday, 19 February 2006, 11:45 GMT
US troops taught Iraqi gestures
By Paul Rincon
BBC News science reporter, St Louis



The new training tool aims to end confusing, dangerous situations


The US military has funded a computer game to teach its troops how to use and decipher Iraqi body language.

The purpose is to teach soldiers that using the wrong gestures can potentially cause offence and escalate already tense situations.

In the program, users must build trust with local people through verbal communication and gestures.

One of the system's creators says the training tool, known as Tactical Iraqi, has already been a great success.
(snip/...)

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/4729262.stm

[FreedomAngel82]

1. And if they get just one wrong I'm sure that wouldn't be good

:\

[alphafemale]

2. They are only..just NOW...doing this?

- insert head slap smilie here -

[wordpix]

10. my first reaction, too--took them 3 YEARS of warfare to figure out?

WTF??? OUTRAGEOUS

[saigon68]

3. What is the meaning of this expression ?

In the program, users must build trust with local people through verbal communication and gestures

[0007]

4. Those Iraqis are just showing the Americans how grateful they are.

Notice in the bottom photo how open and communicative the Iraqi appears.

"In Iraq, to show sincerity you have to put more effort into your gestures," said Dr Vilhjalmsson.

"In Western countries, we control our body language more. In Arabic culture, it is important you show how open you are."

[saigon68]

8. Notice how open and communicative the Iraqi appears to be

[LynnTheDem]

5. What america now is in the eyes of the world.

Not in my name.

NOT IN MY NAME!!!

[katinmn]

6. 3 years later. Sigh.

I hope to see the MFers behind this crime against humanity behind bars, preferably at Gitmo.

[Toots]

7. Lets just hope that computer program doesn't turn out to be gay...

Arab translators.....:shrug:

[iverglas]

9. it's actually extremely important

As long as those troops are there (and whining and ranting about that may feel good, but it isn't getting them out), anything that stops them from killing more people for no reason is worthwhile. Never mind what motivations the US military may have, or how hypocritical it may appear.

An example: I worked with refugees for many years. At a hearing, a Sri Lankan client was testifying through an interpreter. The interpreter gave his answer to a question as "yes". The board asked why he had shaken his head "no". Well, in Sri Lanka, you shake your head to say "yes", you don't nod it. I'm sure that residual doubts about the client's credibility remained in the board's mind, because it simply didn't perceive a head-shake as "yes".

Imagine if the board had been a military member with a firearm, and what had been said was "lie on the ground or we'll shoot you".

[Army]

11. Sri Lankans

We actually were taught that before we came over here. There were Sri Lankan guards at Cam< Mancini and they would shake their heads "no" while we told stories back and forth. As for the computer program, they have been teaching soldiers these things all along, but it hasn't been a system wide course, which it should be. Hand and arm signals are extremely effective if you are using signals they understand. And hand over the heart to say "thank you" does a lot more for local goodwill than a thousand paved roads. [br />
Even knowing a few words, "marhaba" for "hello" or a "shukran" for "thanks" always gets a smile because it shows you are making an effort. This program should be mandatory for anyone coming into the country.

[ConcernedCanuk]

12. "to end confusing, dangerous situations" - how about GO HOME!!!

.
.
.

This is just "fluff"

"see how CARING we are"??

Sorry about the first few hundred thousand dead/wounded/maimed/poisoned

- we'll get it right it a decade or two

maybe

[WhiteTara]

13. who would have thought? It only took them

three f*cking years to figure that out? We are doomed. These people are too stupid for us to be alive.