Riding in Cars with Iraqis

We had an interesting taxi ride to the airport this morning. Our driver, very helpful, friendly and talkative, is an Iraqi. I began a conversation with him because he had a picture of Mary on his visor. I asked him if he was Orthodox, thinking the picture might be a picture of an icon. He said, “No, I am Catholic.” Interesting.

As we chatted I asked him where he was from, and he told us, “Iraq.” We started talking about the war, Saddam, etc. Our driver and his family fled Iraq sometimes during the 90s after the Gulf War; they had very little money.

He was in the army during the Gulf War. He was in a tank. I asked him about what is was like when the bombings took place. He laughed. He said it was like the fireworks over Sydney Harbour during last night’s New Year celebration, but he said it just kept going and going. He then said, "It was better in a tank than not in tank." I asked about his wife and children during that time. He said they were in a house in Bagdad simply terrified.

I asked him about the current situation. He said the U.S. fails to understand the deep culture differences between the Sunnis, Shias, and Kurds. He is very skeptical that peace will ever come. He is very thankful to be Australia, “the greatest country in the world,” according to him.

We talked some about the Turkish invasion into Iraq to attack Kurdish rebels (PKK). He lived for a couple of years in Instanbul before making his way to Australia. I asked him about Turkey and learned a few things about Turkish food. "Kabobs are the best."

[Now in Brisbane - going to Australian Zoo tomorrow; too bad the Croc Hunter is no longer with us.]