Riding with the window down…: The “Real” Iraq… from an eyewitness.

Chris Doelle brings a story that you won’t see on network television. Not the realm of insurgents, anti-American reporting, bribes, hate… this is an eye-opening view at the “regular” Iraqis. The people who have real lives, real jobs, real ambitions.

This wasn’t a glossed-over pro-war talk. Tracy talked about the tragedies going on each day – he talked about mortar rounds and small weapons fire heard each night – he talked about booby trapped vehicles – he talked about losing six good men to various ambushes, men that he drank coffee with, went on patrol with, laughed and joked with. But he also talked about the people of Iraq. He talked about seeing the majority of the people getting up each day and going to work. He talked about them going to Burger King and Subway for lunch. He talked about them washing their Toyotas and Chevys in their driveways. He talked about the Iraqi lady who tends to her rose garden just outside his apartment. He talked about Iraqis watering their lawns… let me say that again – watering their lawns!

Have you ever seen a blade grass on a newscast about Iraq? Have you seen people shopping at the grocery store? Talking to friends on their cell phones? Watching their satellite television? How about buying a hard drive at the computer store? It is happening every day – THAT is the norm. Sunni and Shia Muslims eat lunch at the cafe along with Kurds and Bathists – it is no different than a restaurant here – the Baptists, Methodists and Catholics eat at the same place without shooting each other. Tracy states that the AIF (anti-Iraqi Forces or insurgents) are an extremely small minority… and they are not fighting for religion or freedom – they are fighting for power.