Well... since most Americans can't tell an "Arab" from many muslim cultures in the vaguely same region, I start by saying a Persian ( Iraqui-AMerican) journalist - when we were in high school together, Anisa Mehdi, taught this Quaker a huge amount about moderation and fairmindedness. ... and yes I have known a number of moderate "Arabic" people as well...
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Judging from your post, you're like "most Americans" that you complain about. Persians come from Iran. Iraq is an Arab society. If your friend was Iraqi, he was either Arab (most likely) or Kurdish. If he was Persian, he originated in Iran.