Epthets in Iraq

(NOTE: The following article was originally published in the Anaconda Times in January. It also ran in Army Times a few weeks later. I'm back from Iraq now but my opinion on this matter remains the same. Actually, it seems like less people were using the word around the end of the tour, so maybe it had some impact)


As a Reservist currently deployed to Balad, Iraq, I am offended by the casual use of the religious term “Haji” in reference to Iraqi locals. I believe that the constant misuse of the word by enlisted and officers and alike does not reflect the values that the Army stands for and may even hinder our efforts in the Middle East.

The American Heritage Dictionary defines “haji,” as “One who has made a pilgrimage to Mecca” and “A form of address for one who has made such a pilgrimage.” Not all Iraqis have made a pilgrimage to Mecca and a few Iraqis – 3 percent, according to the CIA world factbook – don’t identify themselves as Muslims at all. Thus, using the word to refer to all Iraqis indiscriminately demonstrates a lack of education about our host nation’s culture.

Beyond being inaccurate, the word “haji” is in danger of becoming a racial epithet, if it hasn’t already. The word awkwardly lumps together Sunnis, Shi’a, Kurds, and other identities into one label and often carries a negative slant. For instance, it’s hard to miss the slightly condescending tone when a Soldier says, “I got the haji version of the DVD,” meaning the DVD is pirated or of low quality.

The negativity is more blatant when Soldiers use it synonymously with “the enemy” as in, “haji has sure been throwing a lot of mortars at us today” or “You’d better wear your eye protection so haji doesn’t blow your eye out with an IED.” Using a religious term this way is not only offensive, but might be seen as giving substantiation to our enemies’ claims that we are engaged in a war against Islam. If an Iraqi man finds out that U.S. troops are routinely using a word meaning “holy pilgrim” in Arabic in place of “the enemy” it’s easy to see how he might get the wrong impression.

Most of the Soldiers who use this term probably think of it as an innocent nickname rather then an offensive slur. However, history has shown that over time “innocent” nicknames can acquire negative connotations. An example of this is the term “Jap,” shortened from Japanese. One road in Jefferson County, Texas, named “Jap Road” in honor of a well-respected Japanese family had to be renamed because of the offensive meaning that came after World War II.

At best, calling local nationals “hajis” is an uneducated use of Islamic terminology that has not become fully epithetic. At worst, it is a racial slur that could marginalize the very people we’re trying to win over. Either way, we’re better off not using the term.

Troops of previous wars assigned unkind names to the Japanese and the Vietnamese and it came to reflect poorly on the military later. I don’t want racial slurs to mar our track record in this war. When it comes to racism, I prefer to stay clear of any gray areas.