The Unicorn Painting: an Iraq-racy Parable

I'm too lazy to go through past BenReps to see if I have told or alluded to the following story; regardless it seems to me the story of the ill-fated "Unicorn Painting" is an apt parable to the political situation in Iraq.

The Velvet Unicorn

A well-known (within the US Forces -Iraq Joint staff, anyway) Army major, of significant intelligence and an even greater sense of humor, sought an appropriate velvet painting to signify his dedication to family and Nation while serving the people of Iraq. With unique imagination, he decided upon a scene with himself, in traditional US Army cavalry uniform, in the foreground mounted upon a unicorn. In the distance would be his wife and two young daughters at their teepee (the Lord and the Major only know why a teepee), waiting for their warrior to return upon completion his tour of duty, accomplishment of his mission and ensuring the safety of home and country. 

Ibrahim, the Iraqi velvet painting artist, was commissioned for this piece of... art. He was provided examples of each element of the scene - a US Cavalry soldier upon a horse and a Native American family in front of a teepee. The Major provided detailed guidance about the modifications required to achieve the desired end state of the work of... art. The Major explained in great detail that his family had four members and that at home his wife and two young daughters waited. He would be upon the majestic unicorn, serving his country and helping the Republic of Iraq. The Major was confident Ibrahim grasped the concepts and the details, paid half up front and left the artist to his work.

With great anticipation, the day of delivery arrived. Two copies were produced (large and small format). The painting was unveiled. After the initial shock, the Major made his version of the ubiquitous MasterCard campaign and the resulting motivational posters:

 Click here to see the original painting in detail

The art speaks for itself but leaves haunting questions for the Major to come to grips with in the future: Who was the naked Native American gentleman living with my family while I spent a year in Iraq riding the legendary horned horse? Who is the young Native American young lady who apparently joined the family? What is her relationship to my wife? Why do I look like an Arabic version of Duvall in the Lonesome Dove? Am I wearing pants, punjabis, perhaps a riding skirt? (On a personal note: I have never seen a rainbow in Iraq - it may be symbolism, artistic license, if you will.) Did the artist botch the job or is he psychic?

Iraq-racy

Our vision of democracy in Iraq, as detailed and well explained as we may have communicated it to our Iraq partners, is not what is going to happen here. No value judgment in that. Just as the Major has learned to love his painting of another man taking care of his teepee in his absence, we must embrace Iraq-cracy. As we approach the three month anniversary of the election, we have no certified results and candidates are still appealing. The experts are still taking odds on which party, which ever evolving coalition, will get to attempt to build the government. Is this a failed election? Absolutely not (yet). It is a painting we did not expect.

Does their system dance along the precipice of violence and chaos? Maybe, maybe not. But to date the government, the process and society are holding and the people are not returning to violence in response to the democratic fumbling, stumbling, bumbling. Should the Major demand his money back for the failed velvet unicorn painting - maybe, maybe not. He can still, for a time, introduce the fantasy to his children that he rode the unicorn during the war in Iraq. A government will come out of this process - not on our timeline, however, but on theirs.    

Iraq-cracy - not your father's political system. Definitely not better, perhaps not worse, just really, really different.