MoD's 'culture manuals' give troops insight into Arab life

British soldiers have been issued with "cultural appreciation" manuals explaining how the war on terror and Western imperialism have alienated the Arab world and how they can avoid making matters worse. In a candid assessment of the grievances motivating the forces facing British troops in Afghanistan and Iraq, the Ministry of Defence highlights Guantanamo Bay and the abuse of Iraqi prisoners.

The three guides, which offer insights into Arab and Middle East cultures, have been released under the Freedom of Information Act. They are equivalent to the guides now being handed out to US soldiers fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan.

On US and British counter-terrorism policy, the MoD says: "Western policy in the aftermath of the attacks of September 11 2001 in New York and Washington has led to a feeling among many Arabs that the US in cohort with a number of European governments is pursuing a hidden agenda under the guise of the 'global war against terrorism'."

Readers are given a crash course in the history of Western imperialism and told that Arabs blame the UK and France for creating "artificial" states in the region, where borders have been sources of contention ever since. Military commanders are reminded: "Westerners are often perceived as culturally ignorant, regarding their culture as inherently superior to that of the Arabs."

The guides, aimed at helping government staff and soldiers understand the peoples they are interacting with, also provide an assessment of Arab cultures and customs. Islamic law, says one, "tends to be biased in favour of men", and Arab cultural norms are held to discriminate against women because of the "denigration of female attributes". Domestic violence, honour crimes and genital mutilations may be considered abusive but are "socially sanctioned".

Notes on Arab family life include the observation that "teenage rebellion" in Arab families is almost unheard of. "Moreover, it is incumbent on children to care for their parents when they enter old age. Most Arabs find the Western concept of the 'nursing home' shocking, even abhorrent," says the MoD.

The guides include MoD advice on the dos and don'ts of gestures, alcohol, hospitality, photography, smoking and social interaction. They also emphasise how Arabs value the notion of shame. "The socio-psychological need to avoid a loss of face... and a consequent diminution in social status in the eyes of society, to a large extent underpins social behaviour and interaction between Arabs, at least in public."

The Middle East conflict is also interpreted from an Arab perspective. The MoD guide says: "Western pronouncements against the human rights records of Arab governments... ring hollow for many in the region when held up against what are perceived to be the gross human rights abuses committed against the Palestinian population, apparently with the sanction of Western governments."