Green Zone Changes hands!

Kia Ora,

Well the news has come through that the last part of the 'Green Zone' in Baghdad Iraq has changed hands & the US has handed control over to the Iraqi forces.

In the article I read from the 'TheTimes' an Iraqi MP points out that one of the issues for the US is they used to lock themselves in the Green Zone & never really learnt about Iraqi culture or the people.

For those of us that worked there is was one of the first things we noticed & been Kiwis, in particular ex military it was one of the things our military was always big on,  cultural awareness.

It also helped  that we understood much of the Iraqi tribal culture probably better than anyone else as it was often similar to Maori Culture.

Arab time is on a slower scale than Maori time we know that for sure.

The article though is inaccurate in parts about the Green Zone. Not all parts had 24 hour electricity, there were an estimated 30,000 Iraqis living in there & it wasn't always that safe. That wasn't just from the the mortars, rockets or suicide bombers at the gates either.

Most of my time was spent in the so called 'Red' zone  & apart from the fact you were isolated, in the most part you felt safer, but you had to be ready.

So coming back to NZ were does that fit in with security here?

At times in security you have to deal with those living on the street or in an emotional state & so it can be very similar to applying the cultural awareness. You give the most respect to those who have the least.

In the first instance that is how you approach the issue, but it does not always work out that way.

The Skills required are similar or in most cases the same, it is how you apply it that is different. Most of all experience counts. But you always have to be ready.

                                              http://www.foxhoundsecurity.co.nz