Where is Raed ?

Society Pakistan & World Affairs
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I have been following this Blog (like an internet diary) for some time. I believe it to be an authentic diary of a Westernized young Iraqi man. Up til the war he was posting regularly, and just recently he has been updating the log again. Here is an excerpt, the whole thing makes fascinating reading:

“Prices of weapons on the market have been going up. At one point you could get a hand grenade for 500 dinars, that’s a quarter of a dollar. A Kalashnikov for $200 and a brand new Uzi for a bit more. These are on display on the roads. In Baghdad-al-Jadida and al-baya districts but the cheapest could be found in Thawra (revolution) district (It used to be caleed Thawra then Saddam now they are calling it al-Sadir district). It is like a militarized zone in Thawra. If you don’t live there you better not go.
The streets markets look like something out of a William Gibson novel. Heaps of cheap RAM (stolen of course) is being sold beside broken monitors beside falafel stands and weapons are all available. Fights break out justlikethat and knives come out from nowhere, knives just bought 5 minutes ago. There are army sighting thingys, Weird looking things with lenses. And people selling you computer cases who tell you these are electric warmers, never having seen a computer case before. Really truly surreal. Software CDs, Movie CDs and cheap porn. And a set of 5 CDs called [the crimes of saddam] it has things from halabja, the footage they have taped during 91 while squishing the uprising after the war and other stuff about Uday, there is one whole CD about Uday. Have not seen any of them yet. They say there is some gruesome footage on them but the Uday CD is not as juicy as you’d think.
Back to the weapons. The prices have been going up because they are being bought from the market in big quantities. One of the very few bright ideas our new American administration has been having was if the looters want money for the stolen weapons let’s pay them for bringing them to us. Outside Baghdad it is said people are being paid a fixed price for each piece of weaponry they bring in. In Baghdad it is being bought off the market at street prices. But still no one is going into the Thawra District.
American civil administration in Iraq is having a shortage of Bright ideas. I keep wondering what happened to the months of “preparation” for a “post-saddam” Iraq. What happened to all these 100-page reports, where is that Dick Cheney report? Why is every single issue treated like they have never thought it would come up? What’s with the juggling of people and ideas about how to form that “interim government”? Why does it feel like they are using the [lets-try-this-lets-try-that] strategy? Trial and error on a whole country?
The various bodies that have been installed here don’t seem to have much coordination between them. We all need to feel that big sure and confident strides forward are being taken; it is not like this at all. And how about stopping empty pointless gestures and focusing on things that are real problems? Can anyone tell me what the return of children to schools really means? Other than it makes nice 6 o’clock news footage.
Schools have been looted; there are schools that have cluster bombs thrown in them when fedayeen were still there, no one bothered to clean that mess up before issuing the call on [Information Radio] that all students should go back to schools. How about clearing the mess created by the sudden disappearing of the ration distribution centers? How about getting the Hospitals back in shape? How about making it safe to walk in the street?
I mean there are a million more pressing issues for these committees meeting daily than getting children back to unsafe schools.”

http://dear_raed.blogspot.com/

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What I want to know is what ISP he was using in Iraq during the war to log to his blog and type all that up :)
Thats more mystery to me than who or where he is :D

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:konfused:

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I wanted to bring this back up, as Raeds’ reports are now available on a different page, and have pictures. Very interesting read.

"In total there are eight families in the camp. They say they have been moved from other places they have squatted within the city until they got to this army center in the outskirts. When we asked who moved them out of the places they were in they said it was usually the new political parties. These buildings were NOT given to these parties by the “coalition forces”, the Americans here have decided to not look at that situation for now.

I don’t think that when ministries and other public institutions start functioning again they will not ask for their property back, I can’t see why the Dawa Party should take the place of a public library. Anyway, both the newly homeless and the parties are competing to occupy public buildings.

The problem in the one we went to was that this training center is full of ammunition. And one unexploded thingy that has been fired at the camp from a helicopter. The kids run around showing us where the grenades and other stuff lies. There is no use taping the warnings (pictured right, given to organizations by the coalition forces to put at places where there are unexploded objects - mainly cluster bombs) because no one in this place can read or write.

The only thing to do is to ask the families that are living near the back of the camp to move away from the areas where the ammunition is. They tell us that this is just training ammunition and not dangerous. And they won’t move out of this place because they have no where else to go.

We also go take a look at a neighborhood where the Iraqi army tried to hide armored vehicles which later got attacked by missiles from helicopters.

In many cases the soldiers and the civilians were warned by dropping leaflets, in some cases that didn’t happen. No one got injured here because they had left the area after the Iraqi army positioned four vehicles in the streets but a couple of houses got badly damaged. The families later moved back and repaired what could be repaired."

http://electroniciraq.net/news/817.shtml

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OG, Thought you might be interested to read this…he’ll be writing a fortnightly article in the Guardian as well from now on.

Salam’s story, Rory McCarthy, The Guardian, 30 May 2003

The most gripping account of the Iraq conflict came from a web diarist known as the Baghdad Blogger. But no one knew his identity - or even if he existed. Rory McCarthy finally tracked him down, and found a quietly spoken, 29-year-old architect. From next week he will write fortnightly in G2
~ ~ ~
No one in Baghdad knew who he was or the risks he was taking. Apart from a select group of trusted friends, they still don’t. The telephones and the internet haven’t worked here since the collapse of the regime, so the Iraqis never had a chance to read the diaries of the Baghdad Blogger. Outside the country, many didn’t even believe that the man who wrote only under the sobriquet Salam Pax truly existed. It was the great irony of the war. While the world’s leading newspapers and television networks poured millions of pounds into their coverage of the war in Iraq, it was the internet musings of a witty young Iraqi living in a two-storey house in a Baghdad suburb that scooped them all to deliver the most compelling description of life during the war.

As with so much in Iraq, it was never meant to be like this. In June last year, Salam (this much of his name, at least, is real) was a recently graduated architect, aged 29, living at home with his parents and brother in Baghdad. His best friend was Raed, 25, a Palestinian-Jordanian he had met while studying architecture, who was taking a masters degree in Jordan. Raed was at best an infrequent email correspondent and so Salam started writing up his news from home on a weblog, a site on the internet where he could post his scribblings as often as he liked for his friend to read. He called it: Where is Raed?

No one else bothered to look at it. “The first two months were just: that girl got married, I had the flu, he had I don’t know what. Stupid stuff,” says Salam. “I never thought there would be this much of a fuss about the whole thing.”

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His first column in the Guardian:

Baghdad Blogger, Salam Pax, The Guardian, 4 June 2003

Vacancies: President needed - fluent in English, will have limited powers only. Generous bonuses." This appeared on the first page of the Ahrar newspaper. Another new weekly. Newspapers are coming out of our ears these days. There are two questions which no one can answer: how many political parties are there now in Iraq? And how many newspapers are printed weekly?" Most of these papers are just two or four pages of party propaganda, no license or hassle. Just go print. I am thinking of getting my own: “Pax News - all the rumours, all the time”.

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Nadia: Thanks for the link.

I thought this statement was particularly interesting:

** "Al-Jazeera and Arabiya show angry Iraqis who say things about the promises that America has not kept and the prosperity of which they see no sign. Iraqis are such an impatient lot. How could it be made clear to these people that if they don't cool it and show some cooperation there is no way anyone will see this prosperity? I really don't want to see this country getting caught in the occupier/occupied downward cycle. I know it won't.

While talking to a very eloquent taxi driver the other day, he started accusing the media of not giving a chance to someone like Al-Sistani [one of the two leading Shia clerics] to show another, non-militant, side of Hawza [the influential college of Shia theologians in Najaf]. He was telling me of a Friday prayer khutba in which the imam told them to cooperate with the Americans. They did get rid of Saddam and they should be given a chance to prove their good will. " **

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i mean this in a non-sarcastic manner: good for Salam if he is able to keep this optimistic outlook. i think it's an invaluable perspective on life. i am not certain if i share it, but of course - he (and his fellow countrywomen/men) are the ones who will have to pay the price for whatever occurs in Iraq - and they are the ones whose voices we should be listening to. Despite everything that has occurred to his country, Salam is able to regard the situation in a hopeful, positive light... good for him.

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[QUOTE]
Originally posted by Nadia_H: *
i mean this in a non-sarcastic manner: good for Salam if he is able to keep this optimistic outlook. i think it's an invaluable perspective on life. i am not certain if i share it, * but of course - he (and his fellow countrywomen/men) are the ones who will have to pay the price for whatever occurs in Iraq - and they are the ones whose voices we should be listening to. ** Despite everything that has occurred to his country, Salam is able to regard the situation in a hopeful, positive light... good for him.
[/QUOTE]

I agree (particularly with the part I have set out in bold). The part that is really interesting to me is his take on how ** outside media ** may be portraying events in Iraq to overstate how bad things are to promote outside agendas.

All we need to do is look at other threads in Gupshup to look at numerous media reports accentuating the negative. Here we've got an Iraqi complaining that Al Jazeera won't give any airtime to a leading cleric who is urging cooperation with the US military. Here we've got an Iraqi acknowledging the many problems of post-war Iraq that exist in the context of also recognizing that things are getting better, life is returning to normal slowly and sporadically and that more time is needed to build upon such progress.

I find this viewpoint a refreshing change and one that ** outside media ** is choosing not to broadcast.

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But “outside media” also includes sources such as the BBC (UK), the Washington Post (US), and the Toronto Star (Canada) - what sort of “agendas” would these media outlets have vis-a-vis portraying Iraq in a negative light?

What i do appreciate is Salam’s optimistic outlook on life because i think it will prove to be an invaluable asset to him as he goes about assisting his country, and fellow citizens, to rebuild their shattered lives. More power to him for not giving up on the prospects of his (and his country’s) future.

IMHO things in Iraq are not trumped up, by outside media outlets, to be worse than they already are. There are problems between Kurds/Arabs/Christians/Turks within Iraq - just today, a Kurdish lawyer became the new mayor of Kirkuk amidst worries from Arabs/Christians/Turks that their voices were being marginalized. Raw sewage floats several-inches high in many cities of Iraq; hospitals lack potable water (how can operations be conducted without basic clean water?). Much has been made of insecurity and lawlessness. What i can learn to appreciate, is one Iraqi young man learning to perceive the situation more optimistically - good for him :k: But i don’t believe any media are trumping the situation to be worse than it already is - they’re reporting what they are seeing and Iraq right now is a country that is simply in shambles, (for me, that’s phrasing it rather too mildly).

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I know you are an intelligent woman, Nadia. The media outlets you have cited (I’m not sure about the Toronto Star) promote distinctly liberal agendas and slant the news in a distinctly liberal way. (Just like Fox promotes distinctly conservative agendas and slants the news in conservative ways). Focusing on the negative aspects of rebuilding Iraq undercuts George Bush in favor of more liberal democratic candidates and agendas.

If you take a country where there are areas of both security and lawfulness as well as areas of insecurity and unlawfulness, there are three ways to report things. One, you can focus only on the areas of insecurity and unlawfulness which promotes the misconception that that is all there is. Two, you can report on only the areas where there is security and lawfulness which promotes the misconception that that is all there is. Three, you can report on both areas which provides a more balanced presentation.

I’m sure there are hospitals that don’t have potable water. But, that is not the same as all hospitals or most hospitals not having potable water.

I’m sure there are areas where raw sewage floats through some streets. I’m equally certain there are areas that have clean streets.

Some places that didn’t have electricity at the end of the war have it today. Some don’t.

The rebuilding of Iraq is not like an episode of Bewitched where George Bush is Samantha and can twitch his nose and fix everything all at once. The young Iraqi reporter recognizes this and indicates patience is required. If his writing is to be believed, he is not alone among Iraqis in this belief. Even some clerics are sending this message to their congregations. BUT TELL ME THIS, when was the last time you saw the Washington Post, the BBC or Al Jazeera give media coverage to this side of Iraqi public opinion?

IMO, the “news” should report the facts that exist on both sides. Once the “facts” are reported accurately, then they should be free to express “commentary” and editorial opinion as to whether things are going fast enough or not. When you only report one set of facts, you are actually masquerading editorial opinion and commentary as news.

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Thanks for your detailed reply, MV.

Incidentally (this backs up your argument), the Toronto Star is considered a relatively left-of-centre newspaper within Canada.
The funny thing is that - many individuals i know (and i agree with this) believe the BBC to be too right-wingish at times (for example, selective reporting pratices of toning down Israeli military operations especially when Palestinian civilians are injured/killed). i agree that the other two, the W. Post and T. Star, are liberal-minded relatively-speaking.

On the contrary - i think you have to give more credit to the BBC for trying to present what they probably feel is a balanced point of view - overall. For example, a few weeks ago when the first of the larger mass graves was discovered in southern Iraq, the BBC’s Stephen Sackur (who is infact married to an Iraqi-British lady) filed a long report from the site of one of the mass graves. He went on and on about the atrocities committed by Hussein’s regime and produced an in-depth profile of the family members whose loved ones were buried in the graves. Not once did he mention anything about the US (how the victims of this 1991 Shi’ite uprising had been urged to rise up by Bush I and then abandoned); his long detailed report (aired on BBC world service tv) was focused upon the brutalities of Saddam Hussein’s regime exclusively. Infact i was hoping he would mention a word about the abandonment, but nothing, not a syllable proffered regarding that.

Going back to the issue of electricity/healthcare/water supplies, etc. - yes you are right, not ALL hospitals lack potable water, not ALL streets in Iraq are filled with raw sewage, and not ALL areas lack electricity. True, i acknowledge this.

i agree :k:

i wonder whether the differences that you perceive in the slanted reporting of the BBC is because of the (mostly British) audience that the UK-based BBC is predominantly catering to. Just as Fox news caters towards its particular audience, so does the BBC - they may realize the British people, generally speaking, want independent coverage that does not depend upon governmental reports for its coverage. The BBC may realize they have to present a picture of the situation that is more reflective of a tone that is independent of the official line; Fox news MAY not be under that same pressure because, afterall, there was far more opposition to this invasion in the UK, than in the US. One source that i have seen utilized in this Forum quite a bit, is that from Yahoo news - who i believe receive most of their stories from AFP or Reuters. Would you believe that the AFP or Reuters are also biased towards a liberal agenda?

i agree with you insofar as that both sides of an issue must always, always be presented. At this point, from reports by CARE and Unicef, we do know that the health situation in Iraq is not that great - cholera is frighteningly on the rise. We know that many hospitals were looted (that is not a propaganda but a fact), and we know that much, so much, remains to be done. But perhaps the ‘true’ situation of what is occurring in Iraq lies somewhere between what you and i believe.

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That is exactly what Al-Jazeera tried to do during the war on Iraq. Unfortunately it rubbed both the US and the Iraqis up the wrong way. US bombed Al-Jazeera hotel and killed their reporter (despite the army knowing where they were) and Iraq forced Al-Jazeera reporters out.

One accused them of being pro-american, and the other accused them of violating some Geneva Convention law (that doesnt even apply to journalists). Its difficult to show the facts in the midst of the war, but Al-Jazeera somehow did it. When both sides are peeved, then you definately know you’re doing something right. Big Up to Al-Jazeera :k: Aye. :slight_smile:

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Were you on drugs during the war? Even the Arab masses were extremely upset with Al Jazeera when they finally had to report that US troops were in Baghdad. Al Jazeera gave its viewers no clue as to the progress of the US military campaign.

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[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by myvoice: *
Were you on drugs during the war? Even the Arab masses were extremely upset with Al Jazeera when they finally had to report that US troops were in Baghdad. Al Jazeera gave its viewers no clue as to the progress of the US military campaign.
[/QUOTE]

Believe it or not the reason the Arabs were pissed was because Al-Jazeera was showing the progress of the coalition forces and it was labelled pro-americans. Even the information Minister Saeed al-sahaf lashed out at Al-Jazeera. Subsequently Al-Jazeera had to pull out its reporters from all over Iraq.

The reporters have been in Baghdad, Basra, karbala ect. from the beginning of the war, giving the news first hand from within Iraq, hence the reason it had so many 'exclusive footage'. They weren't embedded with the coalition forces for obvious reasons and so they couldn't really update the progress of the forces every hour.

What Al-jazeera did show though was the grim reality of the war, from both sides. Most of what the 'embedded' reporters had to report was the watered down version which were'approved' by the officers in the forces. If you had seen the BBC documentary on Al-Jazeera last week, it was a real eye opener.

I view the arabic channel aswell as CNN, Sky news and other western channels, and i can honestly say that Al-Jazeera definately had the upper hand, showing more worthy news then just tanks roaming in the desert fighting sand storms.

ps> i wonder what made the Iraqis think Al-Jazeera was pro-american? And vice versa? Must be Journalism at its best.