The Occupiers’ Guide to Iraq

US troops in Iraq who don’t speak Arabic must fall back on pictures

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When you don’t have the words, use pictures. That’s the principle of the Iraq Visual Language Survival Guide. This foldable, pocket-size pamphlet gives new meaning to the phrase “point and shoot.” Its maker, Kwikpoint, which claims to have 250,000 guides in use on today’s battlefields and has contracted with the U.S. General Services Administration to continue supplies through 2008, publishes these mini-images to assist with every activity, from weapons searches to eating lunch. Along with the “universal icons” for communicating during surrenders and searches (right), this guide also helps soldiers chat pictographically about trip wires, bomb-making, and the facial hair of the enemy.

Surrender

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BEFORE YOU CLICK AWAY!

“Lying.” “Disgusting.” “Scum.” “Slime.” “Corrupt.” “Enemy of the people.” Donald Trump has always made clear what he thinks of journalists. And it’s plain now that his administration intends to do everything it can to stop journalists from reporting things they don’t like—which is most things that are true.

No one gets to tell Mother Jones what to publish or not publish, because no one owns our fiercely independent newsroom. But that also means we need to directly raise the resources it takes to keep our journalism alive. There’s only one way for that to happen, and it’s readers like you stepping up. Please help with a donation today if you can—even a few bucks will make a real difference. A monthly gift would be incredible.

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