No law against mingling, but fraternization between soldiers, Iraqi women is out

Stars and Stripes ^ | 1/21/04 | Rick Scavetta

[saquin]

BAGHDAD, Iraq — Pfc. Justin Bellatti smiled and waved as flocks of pretty young women strolled past his patrol at Baghdad University.

Bellatti’s unit, the Baumholder, Germany-based 1st Battalion, 6th Infantry Regiment, was in charge of providing security at the university last week during a series of lectures by instructors from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, N.Y.

Providing security — and girl watching — is pretty good duty, and the troops of Company A knew it.

“A lot of guys try to talk with the Iraqi girls. I just try to concentrate on the job,” Bellatti said. “It’s overwhelming. They are very beautiful.”

But flirting is forbidden.

Iraqi culture forbids women to flirt, and U.S. troops are under orders against close relationships with Iraqis.

Still, they find ways to interact with a quick glance, a smile or a wave. In some cases, they wander toward each other for brief conversations. Eyeing a group of smiling women, Spc. Carl D’Agostino, 25, of Springfield, Ill., took a long drag off his cigarette, breathing out smoke with a sigh.

“They have some gorgeous women here,” D’Agostino said, shaking his head.

The soldiers are on campus to provide general security, said Lt. Col. Pete Jones, battalion commander.

“There’s no fraternization,” said Jones, 42, of Houston. “We treat everyone with dignity and respect.”

But even Jones, a 1985 West Point graduate, knows that American soldiers and Iraqi students are bound to mingle.

Some Iraqi women think the American guys are cute, said Aisha Emad, 22. But she and her friends avoid soldiers, fearing others will say they are trying to sleep with the enemy.

“We may say things between each other, but we never tell the soldiers,” Emad said, as her smiling brown eyes darted between a group of Iraqi men watching nearby and the soldiers standing beside her. “They are invaders.”

Iraqi men use the rudest terms to say that female students want sex with Americans, said Ali Fareed, 24. Many of his friends are angry and jealous of soldiers on campus, Fareed added. But he said he enjoys chatting with soldiers and understands that it’s normal for young adults to be curious about each other.

“It’s an ordinary thing. I’m not jealous,” Fareed said.

While Iraqi women are not allowed to flirt with the Americans, the Iraqi men on campus had no trouble calling out to Spc. Erin Romero, 21, of Lake Tahoe, Calif.

Romero, a fair-skinned, blond-haired woman, ignored the comments.

“They say, ‘You’re beautiful, an angel,’ ” Romero said. “It’s just they are not used to women with blonder hair, bluer eyes and lighter skin.”

In a parking lot outside the biology department, Juana, a 20-year-old Kurd with dark skin and bright eyes, approached an armored Humvee with her friend Evaan, 19. The women said they have longed to meet American guys.

“Why do you carry this Army rifle?” Juana asked Bellatti, her smile turning to a frown. “I’m scared when I see this.”

Bellatti thought for a moment, then turned to Juana with a soft smile and a shrug. “Someone higher ranking told me to carry it.”

[saquin]

Pfc. Justin Bellatti, 25, of Wichita, Kan., chats with two Baghdad University students, Evaan and Juana, last week on campus.

Spc. Nathan Reynolds, 21, of Las Vegas and Spc. Tristan Byers, 23, of New Brighton, Pa., watch a group of students passing by at Baghdad University in Iraq. Soldiers from Company A, 1st Battalion, 6th Infantry Regiment, who pull security at the campus are ordered not to fraternize with female students.

Despite military orders and strict Iraqi customs — both which forbid fraternization between Iraqi women and American soldiers — students and troops tend to mingle at Baghdad University in Iraq.

Women attending Baghdad University study for an exam in a campus courtyard.

[Norse]

Hook it up, boys. Life is too short.

[Travis McGee]

One cannot overestimate the importance of this article. Our presence in Iraq is without a doubt causing a social tidal wave. Irqi men have been used to back-handing their women, and along comes a polite smiling GI Joe. The results are going to be a lot of seriously ticked off Iraqi men, you can bet.

[2banana]

Young army men far from home + cute indigenous women = babies in about 9 months. Happens in every war. I hope someone at the Pentagon has a plan for this

[apillar]

“There’s no fraternization,” said Jones, 42, of Houston

Riiiiggggghhhttt...

It's happened in every war since time immortal, not putting down our soliders but its simple human nature. The Iraqi ladies seem interested and most of the soldiers have been without a womens company for a year.

[onedoug]

...and change for the better for their society.

Behave yourselves, Boys. Do America proud.

[jpl]

Good. Changing the crummier aspects of the attitudes of these medievals is a big part of the goal.

[ex-snook]

Hey there must be some mistake about fraternization with the enemy. Wolfowitz said the would be our friends for liberating them.

[ex-snook]

Hey there must be some mistake about fraternization with the enemy. Wolfowitz said the would be our friends for liberating them.

[rrrod]

having spent 17 yrs in that region and knowing a little of the culture i couldnt agree with ya more...this is huge

[r9etb]

The real danger (to Iraqi men) isn't fraternization.

It's that Iraqi women will realize that it's possible for men to treat them with respect.

Being treated with respect can be insidious thing -- it's something that American soldiers have been exporting around the world for a long time.

[NYFriend]

Just ask Alexander the Great.

[SouthernFreebird]

“Why do you carry this Army rifle?” Juana asked Bellatti, her smile turning to a frown. “I’m scared when I see this.” Bellatti thought for a moment, then turned to Juana with a soft smile and a shrug. “Someone higher ranking told me to carry it.”

ZZzzzzzzzzzz they sound made for each other

[Modernman]

Just ask Alexander the Great.

He invades Afghanistan and the Afghanis stick him with a wife. Great leader my butt! :-)

[tom h]

"Young army men far from home + cute indigenous women = babies in about 9 months. Happens in every war. I hope someone at the Pentagon has a plan for this."

None needed. NOW and NARAL will do what they always do in times of emergency -- offer free abortion services from the back of a specially-equipped truck. No mess, no fuss. (/sarcasm)

Seriously, they did this after 9-11 in NYC. Those idiots have this notion that because of a tragedy, a woman's first thought will be "I don't want this baby because I'm upset" and will thereby do the logical thing -- abort it.

They really believe in their hearts that children are by and large a burden, not a blessing, and they have no compunction about offering free, in times of crisis, the murder of the unborn baby. All as a public service, of course.

[John Beresford Tipton]

"?Why do you carry this Army rifle?? Juana asked Bellatti, her smile turning to a frown. ?I?m scared when I see this.?

Bellatti thought for a moment, then turned to Juana with a soft smile and a shrug"..said:

"This is my rifle
This is my gun
This is for fighting
This is for fun"!

[The KG9 Kid]

Holy cats. Second from the left.

Hiya!

[Blood of Tyrants]

True. The Iraqi men could simply emulate the politeness and respect for women that the American soldiers have (well, most of the soldiers) but Muslim and Mid-Eastern culture, whether the Iraqis are Muslim or not, has taught them that women are chattel and can be mistreated with impunity.

[Blood of Tyrants]

I believe that the Pentagon is proud of the fact that they completely ignored the problem of GI's fathering children overseas for over 200 years.

[Modernman]

Holy cats. Second from the left.

Wish we could expand these pictures.

Looks like these chicks actually dress up for classes, unlike American college-girls.

I think 2nd from the right is better.