Berlin, Jan 10, IRNA -- The US marines, scheduled to take over western
Iraq from the US army, will undergo elementary Arabic and "religious 
etiquette" courses to improve the image of the occupying force in 
Iraq. 
"The Marines of all people, who are not exactly considered to be 
squeamish, are now supposed to progress not only by refraining from 
using military violence, but also through cultural understanding," 
the Junge Welt paper reported Saturday. 
"A Marine corps document reveals the attempt to signalise to the 
Iraqi people that the new troops are different from the army soldiers 
whose brutal manner caused suffering among the people," it added. 
"This is why the Marines are supposed to wear visibly different 
uniforms, learn a few words Arabic, respect civilians and pass an 
elementary course in religious etiquette," the paper said. 
The change in tactic is based on the new US insight that in 
order to successfully fight the insurgency, the US troops require 
the support of the Iraqi people.