286 EPILOGUEAnother sign that Iraq has shed its violent past in favor of a better future
is the quasi-comical hipster invasion of Baghdad. Almost every young man
under the age of thirty wears skinny jeans, meticulously groomed (non-
ISIS) beards, and the most outrageous spiky hair ever coiffed on the planet.
The hair literally stands straight up, sometimes as much as ten inches. (My
daughters will no doubt roll their eyes at the fact that I even find this trend
remarkable.) A few years ago, young men in Baghdad were being killed by
the dozens by Islamic extremists “because they looked gay” for daring to
dress or style their hair differently. A vast majority of young Iraqis now feel
free to dress and look as they choose. This is a very positive sign that bodes
well for Iraq’s future. It’s an indication of real change and real progress.
As for young Iraqi women, many still cover their heads with hijabs,
but at the same time a significant number wear much less conservative and
more revealing clothing than in the past. This has prompted some Iraqis to
crudely quip that these women’s “heads are for Allah, but their bodies are
for Abdullah.” Openness toward change is a slow process and only extends
so far, but at least the young women are no longer being harassed, threat-
ened, or killed for their sartorial choices. Hopefully this trend will continue.
Part of the reason for this refreshing makeover of Baghdad society is
that former prime minister Haider al-Abadi and his successor Adel Abdul-
Mahdi, both Shi’ites, have gone to great lengths to treat Sunnis fairly and
include them in the new Iraq. Further institutionalizing freedom, equality,
and equal treatment under the law for all citizens will be the key to Iraq’s
peaceful and prosperous future.
Yes, Baghdad traffic is still maddening, by any measure, but because of
the inherently good nature of the Iraqi people, it is somehow less stressful
than one might expect. Mind-numbing Baghdad traffic jams defy reason
or explanation. There is constant honking and cutting off of other drivers,
but no one gets truly angry. I saw no examples of road rage, even though
we were bombarded by outrageous behavior that would have resulted in
multiple Tasings if not mass murder had it occurred on one of America’s
many congested freeways. To venture out on Baghdad’s streets is to partici-
pate in a daily game of chicken that Iraqis seem to relish playing. Baghdad
traffic flows in fits and starts like a gargantuan school of fish, if the fish
were smoking, looking at their cell phones, and eating breakfast, while
talking animatedly with their passengers, other drivers, and any passersby