Very interesting..."A GI's guide to Iraq" from 1943

In 1943, some American troops were stationed in Iraq. Here is a PDF of a War Department handbook introducing them to the country ('i-RAHK"), and providing some do's and don'ts when interacting with the Iraqi people. Some highlights:

* NEVER discuss religion or politics or women with Moslems.

* Don't stare at anyone. Remember the fear of the "evil eye".

* Knock before entering a private house. If a woman answers, wait until she has had time to retire.

* If you see grown men walking hand in hand, ignore it. They are not queer.

* You can usually tell a mosque by its high tower. Keep away from mosques. If you try to enter one, you will be thrown out, probably with a severe beating.

* There are four towns in Iraq which are particularly sacred to the Iraq Moslems: Kerbala, Najaf, samarra, and Kadhiman. Unless you are ordered to these towns it is advisable to stay away from them.

* Moslems here are divided into two factions something like our division into Catholic and Protestant denominations -- so don't put in your two cents when Iraqis argue about religion.

* There are also political differences in Iraq that have puzzled diplomats and statesmen. You won't help matters any by getting mixed up in them.

You will enter Iraq both as a soldier and as an individual, because on our side a man can be both a soldier and an individual. That is our strength - if we are smart enough to use it. It can be our weakness if we aren't. As a soldier your duties are laid out for you. As an individual, it is what you do on your own that counts - and it may count for a lot more than you think.

American success or failure in Iraq may well depend on whether the Iraqis...like American soldiers or not. It may not be quite that simple. But then again it could.
...
The best way you can do this (prevent disunity and discontentment among Americans and Iraqis) is by getting along with the Iraqis and making them your friends. And the best way to get along with any people is to understand them.
...
That tall man in the flowing robe...is a first-class fighting man, highly skilled in guerilla warfare...If he is your friend, he can be a staunch and valuable ally. If he should happen to be your enemy - look out! Remember Lawrence of Arabia? Well, it was with men like these that he wrote history in the First World War.

But you will also find out quickly that the Iraqi is one of the most cheerful and friendly people in the world.
...
You aren't going to Iraq to change the Iraqis. Just the opposite. We are fighting this war to preserve the principle of "live and let live".