Opinion: Fixing Iraq like fixing that old Chevy

Explaining Iraq to friends was hard, until I realized it is a lot like your first car — the used Chevy you bought at 17. It looks great, but up close you see some rust. It starts, backfires once and hesitates, then moves along pretty well. A few weekends of work, and you’ll cruise to the beach!

You fork over $800 and drive it home. Now you notice the radio has only one speaker. When you brake, it pulls to the left. Zero to 60 mph in 11 seconds doesn’t impress the guys. You tell yourself to be realistic: You just need a car that will reach the beach without too much smoke and noise.

That night it rains and you learn that the headlights and the wipers are both out. Your father asks if you noticed the oil leak. Your mother says you have to leave the car on the street since the garage has two cars already.

You estimate you have to put in $1,400 — and every weekend that summer — just to have a car that is safe; twice that to have a showpiece. Meanwhile you have to drive it to work. You pray the engine doesn’t catch fire before you can fix it up.

You work on it every weekend. Friends and relatives drop by to offer advice, wisecracks and a few parts, but no labor or money. Your girl thinks you’re pretty darn manly.

A month later you’re broke: Vandalism was not factored into the budget. Guys are asking if you are putting on the racing stripes yet, har har. You don’t dare drive it all the way to the beach. Even your girl is asking you if you made a mistake. You put on a brave smile and keep at it.

Two years later you win a classic car contest, and your picture’s in the paper. That night the tires are slashed; you sigh and fix them. It occurs to you that you have learned a lot about cars and people, and people have learned a few things about you.

Col. S. Ward Casscells is serving in Baghdad. The views expressed are his and not necessarily those of Multinational Force-Iraq, the U.S. Army, U.S. government or Republic of Iraq.