[Future Snake Eater]

The Iraqis thought our Oakley glasses were x-ray glasses so we could see if they were carrying weapons under their clothes. They also thought that no person could function in the heat wearing all that body armor, so the rumor was that we took special “blood cooling” pills.

I also heard a story from early in the Afghanistan war that a Special Forces Soldier showed off his “death ray” to some of the local fighters by calling in an air strike on a Taliban compound and using a laser target designator. All they saw was this American Soldier using a laser rifle and the entire compound exploded...

[Former Proud Canadian]

The combination of 21st century western technology and 12th century islamic thinking can produce these strange anecdotes.

I remember hearing a report from a US officer talking about training Afghans to drive a car. He said you really have to start with the basics. They didn't know how to open the door.

To the average arab peasant we must look like Supermen.