Matters Iraqi (historical)

[Jedburgh]

I am 33, well educated and employed, but I have been rejected by many traditional Iraqi women's families because of my marital status.

There's the rest of the story. He's an educated, westernized Iraqi who's been burned in a divorce and now he wants a traditional obedient Arab wife to take care of the kid and who will not put him through the wringer again.

Even without the "sectarian tensions created by the war" there were not a lot of mixed Sunni-Shi'a marriages in Saddam's day and before. Among the educated classes, yes, on occasion, but you sure didn't see your average small town or village Iraqi crossing the sectarian divide for a marriage. When it did happen it was a true Romeo and Juliet moment (or more appropriately Qays and Leyla).

Keep texting away, Achmed.

[Tom Odom]

There's the rest of the story. He's an educated, westernized Iraqi who's been burned in a divorce and now he wants a traditional obedient Arab wife to take care of the kid and who will not put him through the wringer again.

Even without the "sectarian tensions created by the war" there were not a lot of mixed Sunni-Shi'a marriages in Saddam's day and before. Among the educated classes, yes, on occasion, but you sure didn't see your average small town or village Iraqi crossing the sectarian divide for a marriage. When it did happen it was a true Romeo and Juliet moment (or more appropriately Qays and Leyla).

Keep texting away, Achmed.

That's why my Arabic instructors never went home--he is Sunni and she is Chaldean Christian. Neither are fully accepted in DLI circles to this day, 27 years after I met them.

Best

Tom

[Danny]

Wow! This is a hard core group of guys. Exposed emotions ... QUICK, STEP ON THEM!!



Remind me never to bear my soul to this group.

[Tom Odom]

Wow! This is a hard core group of guys. Exposed emotions ... QUICK, STEP ON THEM!!



Remind me never to bear my soul to this group.

aw Danny,

Do tell all...

[historyguy99]

Keep in in the family
http://www.consang.net/index.php/Global_prevalence

[Jedburgh]

Keep in in the family
http://www.consang.net/index.php/Global_prevalence

In many tribal cultures in the Middle East the girl's father's brother's son has the right of first refusal. In many urban families where the tribal roots are still held closely, despite the apparent modern lifestyle exhibited publicly, you'll often find college educated men and women who feel bound by tradition marrying their cousins.

Regarding the Kurds, in many of the relatively isolated mountain villages - especially in the more extreme terrain of the tri-border area - there just ain't any other options. Everybody's kin. Like in the not-so-long-ago days in the Ozarks or Appalachia....

[historyguy99]

In many tribal cultures in the Middle East the girl's father's brother's son has the right of first refusal. In many urban families where the tribal roots are still held closely, despite the apparent modern lifestyle exhibited publicly, you'll often find college educated men and women who feel bound by tradition marrying their cousins.

Regarding the Kurds, in many of the relatively isolated mountain villages - especially in the more extreme terrain of the tri-border area - there just ain't any other options. Everybody's kin. Like in the not-so-long-ago days in the Ozarks or Appalachia....

I would agree with your comments. I was married to a westernized Persian woman who had numerous cousins married to cousins. Her explaination was, "that way they knew the family was good", meaning not prone to health, social, or culture issues. Your comments regarding Kurds also hold true when one examines the tables.

As for Appalachia, if you check the tables under minorities, Kentucky shows a 18.7% rate in 1942, when the national rate was .02%.

[Ken White]

In many tribal cultures in the Middle East the girl's father's brother's son has the right of first refusal. In many urban families where the tribal roots are still held closely, despite the apparent modern lifestyle exhibited publicly, you'll often find college educated men and women who feel bound by tradition marrying their cousins.

Regarding the Kurds, in many of the relatively isolated mountain villages - especially in the more extreme terrain of the tri-border area - there just ain't any other options. Everybody's kin. Like in the not-so-long-ago days in the Ozarks or Appalachia....

Well, about some things, anyway...

[AdamG]

Remind me never to bear my soul to this group.

Heard about Houston? Heard about Detroit?
Heard about Pittsburgh, P. A.?
You oughta know not to stand by the window
somebody might see you up there

[Rank amateur]

he wants a traditional obedient wife who will not put him through the wringer.

I have a great joke in response, but my wife won't let me tell it.

[goesh]

- there can still be hell to pay in some families if a gal runs off with a yankee some things never change though it seems reasonable that Shia/Sunni tensions have made the crossing of cultural barriers more difficult at present but there will always be a Shia in the Sunni wood pile and visa versa

[Rockbridge]

- if a gal runs off with a yankee

Which variety of yankee would that be? A carpetbagger (just passing through) or a damn yankee (who has bought the house next door)?

Also resembling the rural invective,
Rockbridge

[VMI_Marine]

Which variety of yankee would that be? A carpetbagger (just passing through) or a damn yankee (who has bought the house next door)?

Also resembling the rural invective,
Rockbridge

Going by your screen name, I'd guess the latter of the two, who've driven up housing prices in your namesake county.

Of course, my college room mate's parents fall into that category - they moved down from NJ and bought one of the houses across from the post office back in 99 or so.

As for "Sleepless in Baghdad", traditional Arab marriages and a divorced man with a kid just don't mix. Good luck with that...

[Juan Rico]

- there can still be hell to pay in some families if a gal runs off with a yankee

how about runs off w/ a Marine sgt.?

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/s...oryId=95799727 (start w/ the Audio Slideshow first)

[reed11b]

how about runs off w/ a Marine sgt.?

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/s...oryId=95799727 (start w/ the Audio Slideshow first)

damn it, you didn't warn that there were kids in that story, has to have a warning if kids are involved.... Those cases are the ones that drag you down quick.
Reed

[Jedburgh]

how about runs off w/ a Marine sgt.?

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/s...oryId=95799727 (start w/ the Audio Slideshow first)

If you edit out the bit that she's from Iraq, they're really just your typical Ozark, Missouri couple......

....."I couldn't afford rings when we got married, but my younger brother — he does tattoos. And he's cheap, so we got him some alcohol, and he got us permanent rings.....

[Uboat509]

There is definitely a trailerish feel to that one.

SFC W

[slapout9]

If you edit out the bit that she's from Iraq, they're really just your typical Ozark, Missouri couple......

Is that what they mean when they say sub-prime mortgages