Iraq has one of the world's oldest cultural histories. See: History of Iraq. Unlike many Arab countries, it embraces and celebrates the achievements of its past in pre-Islamic times. What is now Iraq was one of the cradles of civilization in ancient Mesopotamia. In the 8th century and 9th century the Islamic Caliphs precided over one of the world's leading civilizations, rich in art and literature.
In the most recent millennium, what is now Iraq has been made up of three cultural areas-- Kurdish in the north centered around Mosul, Sunni Islamic Arabs in the center around Baghdad, and Shia Arabs in the south centered on Basra.
Cultural norm: slapping somebody with your shoe, even symbolically, is a traditional insult.
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