For Those Who Want To Hear Good News About Iraq

[350HP930]

I found the following story quite interesting.

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-dragrace7may07,0,5966485.story?coll=la-home-headlines

From Sorrow to 60 in 5.8 Seconds

By Ashraf Khalil, Times Staff Writer

BAGHDAD — Screeching tires are about the last thing you want to hear these days in Iraq. Too often they signal a car bomber zeroing in on his target, or wary drivers fleeing from danger.

But for the 200 or so young men who gathered Friday to watch drag races in the park next to Baghdad University, the squeal and smell of burning rubber were symbols of their country's new freedom — and a relief from the day-to-day violence.

Plus, it's really cool to drive fast.

"I love this!" yelled Hussein Matrout, moments after botching the slalom course.

The 21-year-old mechanic had lost control of his souped-up BMW and spun out, winging a couple of tire barriers. Rather than rush through the rest of the slalom, he turned a couple of skidding doughnuts before cruising to the finish line amid the jeers of spectators urging Matrout, "Get out and never race again!"

Between races, young men gathered in chattering groups, popping hoods and comparing rides. Custom paint jobs, wraparound shades and gelled hair gleamed in the spring sun, and muscle shirts bulged.

Mohammed Ibrahim, 28, a Jordanian-born mechanic, was dressed like a rock star: black on black on black, multiple silver rings and a mullet hairdo. Of his four cars — "all American," he boasted — his pride and joy was a white Camaro with racing stripes and skull decals.

For these gearheads, the races at Jadriya Park every Friday — the Muslim holy day and most everybody's day off here — satisfy a long obsession with all things automotive. It wasn't until Saddam Hussein was ousted by the U.S.-led invasion in 2003 that their passions could pick up speed.

Years of United Nations sanctions and a near-monopoly on the imported-car market by cronies of Hussein's son Uday greatly limited the number of vehicles coming into Iraq. Small groups of aficionados tinkered in semi-secret garages and indulged their racing addictions in abandoned industrial areas.

Uday and his inner circle were themselves car fanatics, cruising around the upper-class Mansour district of Baghdad in their Porsches, Lamborghinis and Camaros. Uday was notorious for confiscating anyone else's car he liked — especially Corvettes.

"Everybody was afraid for his car," said Yasser, an army sergeant who requested that his last name not be used. "If Uday found it, he would take it for himself."

But Hussein's fall brought a new era. With no real border restrictions or customs, and no Hussein-family mafia controlling the market, cars and parts flooded into the country.

In early 2004, the Iraqi Autosports Club was formed and the group began searching for a suitable track.

Street racing is not an option in Baghdad, with its constant traffic jams and its roadblocks and barriers to slow down car bombers. The city's well-armed police, army and U.S. checkpoints mean any potential speed demon is taking his life in his hands.

Matrout proudly recounted what happened when he was caught peeling rubber on a Baghdad street last month.

"The police thought I was a car bomber," he said. "They were so mad at me for scaring them that they threw me in jail for two days."

The car club finally secured a home at Jadriya Park several months ago, and the Friday morning rallies have gained a hard-core following. Events include the slalom and a 400-meter drag race, followed by the so-called display portion, which consists mostly of drivers wheeling in circles until their tires shred.

But even on this festive morning, the realities of life in a shattered and fearful city were never far away. Police cruisers patrolled the edges of the crowd, and a U.S. Bradley fighting vehicle was visible on a nearby hilltop.

"We need to release our sadness and our concerns over everything that's happening," said Ali Adil, a 21-year-old college student who won Friday's drag race in his 1998 Toyota Celica. "This is a safe place. It's guarded. There's inspections. We can relax here."

Almost every car at the rally seemed to have been the recipient of hours and hours of loving care, some with chrome hubcaps, turbocharged engines and painted flames.

Then there was the guy driving the "Brazili," slang for a Brazilian-made Volkswagen Passat, one of the most common cars in Iraq. The battered sedan stuck out by a mile: The would-be racer looked like he'd borrowed Mom's car.

For the drag race competition, crowds gathered around the finish line as racers came screaming past in pairs. Every new finish brought a new round of cheers, jeers and applause.

Halfway through the competition, the spectators exploded in shock and laughter. Grown men danced in place.

The Brazili had won its heat.

[Oh Haha]

Now that is a story worth hearing. Cars bringing a beat to sh!@ country together. Now, how do we get our cars over there to do some DE's?

Thanks for sharing that.

[rcecale]

Wow, This is fantastic! Great to see these people enjoying their new found freedom.

Tony. I'm proud of ya!

Randy

[Jims5543]

Very Cool!

[bryanthompson]

Wow, that's cool! 350, apparently the meds are working out for ya?

[creaturecat]

Here is a picture of a little girl enjoying her "new found freedom"

[bigbrotherjohn]

^^^ and here is a man who cannot look on the bright side

[rcecale]

MonsterPussy, are you stalking me????

For once, can't you find something productive to post? I mean, we all know you hate America, hate our military, and anything else associated with our country, but c'mon, isn't there SOMETHING???

Now you've gone and celebrated the injuries of a little Iraqi girl. I though, from your previous postings, that you were AGAINST civilian casualties? Oh, and did you happen to read the little article you posted. It would seem it wasn't Americans at all that caused her injuries. It was actually the same people you say we should be allowing to do as they please.

...and you have the nerve to call ME a hypocrite...

Randy

[Jeff Higgins]

Cat, you've crossed the line. We all know this stuff happens. Now some one tries to post something positve, and all you can do is try to tear it down. That was uncalled for.

[Icemaster]

Wow Cat, I think you might just have a point there.

Maybe the girl would have been better off under the old regime where she wasnt allowed to go to school, she never would have been in the way of tha blast. Better still her odds of survival beyond the age of 10 were pretty slim. After all, she'd probably be dead as a result of appendicitis or somethign.

Let's just hit the rewind button and put her up against the wall and shoot her. At least she wouldnt be having to go a hospital to get patched up from some terroist car bombing.

What goods a future anyway?



You're a real glas is half empty kind a of person arent you.

[dtw]

350 - Thanks for posting that, very cool.

Cat - Get bent.

[Jared at Pelican Parts]

This is very cool to hear. It's nice to know that most people share the same ideas of fun, and really just want to get out there and share their interests with others.

Cat, out of line here... I am not in favor with what our current administration has done, however, as others have said, this is something positive, and we dont need any more negativity.

[RANDY P]

Overpaid Slacker hit it (creaturecat) right on the head.

Fraud, Rape, Prostitution and Ignoring Genocide Not Enough? UN Ignores NK Refugees

[350HP930]

Originally posted by Icemaster
Maybe the girl would have been better off under the old regime where she wasnt allowed to go to school, she never would have been in the way of tha blast.

I dunno why you would say that, women were allowed to go to school in iraq.

It was one of the few secular countries in the middle east, unlike our allies saudi arabia and israel.

[Victor]

Oh sensational. The lives of so many US, UK, Oz (etc.) servicemen have been not been sacrificed in vain.

[rcecale]

Originally posted by Victor
Oh sensational. The lives of so many US, UK, Oz (etc.) servicemen have been not been sacrificed in vain.

Correct!

Randy