[Straight Vermonter]

A previously posted article on FR stated that the hand outstretched, palm forward signal that westerners use to mean stop is not known to Arabs. This has apparently led to several misunderstandings at roadblocks.

I can't speak to the veracity of this but the article was supposedly quoting a US serviceman.

[river rat]

"....the hand outstretched, palm forward signal that westerners use to mean stop is not known to Arabs."

Sounds like they're slow or unwilling learners...

In a war zone - that can get your ass killed...

Semper Fi

[Steel Wolf]

Even if that particular driver didn't recognize the international hand guesture for stop, the Western passenger did. Another poster mentioned that checkpoints in many countries will use the same protocol, and he's right. I've never been to an Arab country, but it's the standard everywhere else. I'd be very suprised if anyone were completely unaware, especially months into our occupation, of what we wanted them to do at a checkpoint.

Even the local Iraqi's have figured out how seriously we take the checkpoints. The guards are dealing with active and numerous carbomb threats, and have only seconds to make the call. The envoy was criminally negligent for not ensuring his driver knew what to do.

That having been said, I don't think this was a case of ignorance. It sounds more like overconfidence.