Iraq’s New Bicycle

When I was 7 years old, I learned to ride a bike. Our next door neighbors, the Dodges, had two kids the same age as my brother and me, and they had bikes. My dad borrowed one of their bikes and, as I sat on the seat and, as my dad began to push and steady the bike, I started pedaling. Suddenly, I was aware that my dad was no longer behind me…I was riding…by myself! I made it to the corner and somehow managed to turn right. I rode about half way down the block when I started to lose my balance. I tried to pull over to the curb, which I hit, landing in a bed of ivy. I got up and made my way back to the curb. With one foot on the curb and one foot on the pedal, I pushed off and, after wobbling violently for a second, I got my balance and continued on. I made it around the next two corners, heading for home, when my balance again began to fail me. This time I was able to bring the bike to a stop, placing my foot on the curb, and then pushed again, returning to where I started.

Over the next few months, the Dodges were gracious enough to let me use Bobby’s bike to improve my skills which, despite numerous falls, scrapes, and bruises, did improve. That Christmas, I got a bike which ultimately became my magic carpet to the world around me.

Iraq just got a brand new bike. It was built with the fall of Saddam Hussein and delivered when the people of Iraq voted for a new government. And now they are learning to ride it. The problem is, Dad (The U. S. of A) won’t let go of the seat for fear Iraq will fall and yet that is exactly what must happen if the Iraqis are to learn to ride by themselves. Granted, the road is rough and slippery, which makes learning difficult, but the roads in this part of the world are all rough and slippery. The warring factions in Iraq must finally come to terms with each other if “the bike is to be ridden.” This will never happen as long as the USA functions to buffer their interaction. This democracy and nation building stuff isn’t easy. We, of all people, should know that. It takes time…sometimes a long time.

“Four score and seven years” after “our fathers brought forth on the continent a new nation”, that 87 year old nation was tearing itself apart in a bloody civil war. Ken Burns, in his documentary “The Civil War,” noted that, before the war, politicians referred to our nation as “These United States.” After the war, our nation saw itself as one nation and we referred to ourselves as “THE United States.” Iraq must go through the same process. No matter how much we may want to steer the outcome, they must learn to live with each other. The bottom line is…we have to let go of the seat.