A decade after the fall of Saddam Hussein, an ingrained fear of the “tinted car” remains ingrained in Iraqi minds. If anything, since 2003 this fear has grown, commensurate with the increased number of ominous and inscrutable convoys shuttling senior officials around Iraqi cities. These dark, black litters glide by the people, symbolizing their hidden passengers' strength and position.
Alaa Hassan, a member of the security forces working a checkpoint in southern Baghdad, told Al-Monitor, “The clout of the dark-tinted cars hasn’t changed at all today from what it was in the past. They can still pass through security barriers without being questioned or monitored, especially when it involves a senior government official.”