"Your wife is fat"

An American soldier in Afghanistan is getting to know his interpreter.  The Afghan interpreter likes the American soldier and is looking for a way to compliment his new friend.  The American soldier pulls out a photo of his family and his Afghan counterpart spots his opportunity to bestow a kind word on the soldier.  He says "Your wife is fat!"  Oblivious to the fact that he just committed one of the greatest cultural missteps possible in America, he narrowly dodges a swift punch to the ribs! <---- (ok the punching part is made up.  It's hard to build a good ending when your best line comes in the middle of the story).  After a day or two of awkward silence the soldier and the terp patched it up and actually managed to share some cultural understanding after the incident.  In AFG being overweight is a sign of wealth and power.  In women it's seen as an indicator of "fruitfulness" (ability to have lots of kids) and health.   This is why you need thick skin when starting out in a new culture.  And this is yet one more reason Afghan men love America...