Color and the US view of Iraq

This man was 21 when he was deployed to northern Iraq and he says everyday he heard derogatory language being used to describe the Iraqi people, phrases like �sand nigger,� and he says these terms most often came from his commanders. Quil Lawrence, The World’s Middle East correspondent who was imbedded with US troops, also tells of similar stories and that stereotyping of Iraqis was common among American soldiers and contractors. He says when someone is afraid of being blown up, they tend to engage in racial profiling. Some Iraqis in Baghdad seemed acutely aware of how they’re perceived. Testifying at the recent Winter Solider hearings, this soldier says he understands why Iraqis express such feelings. The navy director of cultural and language center at an air force base hates to hear such things. This professor says cross-cultural programs are needed to combat such prejudices. Some say relations between Americans and Iraqis on the ground has noticeably improved from a year ago, but this anthropologist says some young men and women in uniform are still reacting to 9/11, and group all Muslims together.