Andrew Sullivan has posted a great YouTube video of a U.S. Humvee driving through downtown Baghdad. Bumping the locals’ cars, as Sullivan writes, can “hardly endear the U.S. forces to the local population.” Indeed.
A couple of other interesting things. First, note that none of the traffic lights work. Second, it’s weird seeing a third-world country with so many cars on the road. I’m not the most well-travelled guy on the planet, but the few times that I’ve been to a poor, third-world nation, I’ve noted that bicycles, buses, and motorbikes are the normal forms of transit. This is obviously the result of living in an oil state (cheap oil + enough local wealth to buy cars), but it’s still jarring.
Now Playing: Episode 350
Al Gore’s plan for energy independence, Obama’s trip overseas, and finally, the bailout of Fannie and Freddie.
Links Mentioned: Al Gore’s plan … articles on carbon-neutral communities in The New Yorker and the NYT.
That’s f’ed. Did these guys all learn how to drive watching NASCAR commercials?
Agree that it’s probably defensive driving to avoid IUDs … but still.