2009.04.30
Evolution of Driving in Iraq
The way that US military vehicles travel on roadways in Iraq and interact with local traffic has significantly changed over the last five years, especially throughout the last 12 months.
Not even a few years ago, US military vehicles owned the roads. Our vehicles donned signs on their tailgates written in both English and Arabic, "Danger Stay Back 100m. Use of Deadly Force Authorized." The local populace knew to obey those signs, as a warning shot was a likely reaction to a transgression.
Even if the US convoy was approaching from the rear, the Iraqis knew to get out of the way. US trucks did not slow down, and the laws of physics, namely mass in motion, would play out on the streets daily. Soldiers were simply mindful first of the constant threat of improvised explosive devices (IEDs).
While IEDs are still the number one cause of casualties in Iraq, the situation on the roadways have changed. First, the vehicles have changed. The US first arrived to Iraq driving tanks, infantry vehicles, and HMMWVs. As the war changed to a more kinetic fight, the HMMWV became the main mode of transportation. We started adding armor as the IED threat emerged, and then uparmored HMMWVs were manufactured and shipped over. Well, last year, those HMMWVs were replaced with the Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicle. The MRAPs are much larger, and a driver must be mindful of width while driving. The protection of the MRAP largely neutralized the mentality that "speed is security."
More importantly, the Iraqi are much more involved in their own security. It used to be that when we drove down the road, local traffic would move to the shoulders and the Iraqi Army convoys would follow right behind us so that they could maneuver as well. But in a surprising reversal, the opposite is now true.
US convoys intermingle with civilian traffic now. We graciously share the road, and the Iraqis have no problem zipping around us. While we used to drive against traffic, a technique known as "swimming against traffic" or simply "swimming," we now obey traffic flow. While, IEDs are still a threat, our goal of transitioning to civil rule takes priority.
The Iraqi Army drives fast, and the locals know to get out of their way. So today, when my team needed to be somewhere at a certain time, but traffic was holding us back from achieving that time, the Iraqi Army swooped in and saved the day, as my convoy tagged along the back of their convoy. My how quickly roles have reversed.
Thanks for this interesting, behind-the-scenes report on the changing culture of Iraq.
In most foreign countries that I have visited in Asia and Europe, there are huge numbers of 50 - 150CC scooters to be found everywhere.
How about there?
Steve
Comment by Steve McGraw — May 1, 2009 @ 4:21 pm
Have you discussed with your Iraqi counterparts the sport of NASCAR and the concept of "drafting"?
Get one of those bumper stickers for your MRAP: "I'm not tailgating, I'm drafting." Translated to Arabic, of course.
Iraq is a dry country if I remember correctly, no? They may be interested in the humble beginnings of that sport.
Comment by Ed S. — May 1, 2009 @ 6:17 pm
Steve, I rarely see scooters or motorcycles here, but I know what you mean. I saw them frequently in Morocco.
Ed, I have got to be honest, I am not going to encourage the Iraqi Army to drive any faster than they already do. Or put any ideas in their heads in reference to drafting.
Comment by Rich Connaroe — May 3, 2009 @ 9:04 am