Michael J. Totten: No Foreign Press

October 29, 2006

No Foreign Press

Glenn Reynolds argues that there is no "foreign press" per se anymore. "It's all on the same Internet," he says.

Harold Ford (D-Tenn) made a gaffe about the "threat" of Australia developing nuclear weapons. American newspapers didn't cover it much. But Australia's did. And Americans can read Australian newspapers now.

This reminds me of something I learned last time I went to Iraqi Kurdistan, as a consultant not a journalist. A friend on the Council of Ministers told me one of my blog essays, Iraq Without a Gun, was translated into Kurdish and published in Erbil's daily newspaper. This was news to me. (The concept of intellectual copyright has not made its way to the Middle East yet.)

In that essay I mentioned the lying cheating bastard Mr. Araz who picked me up from the airport. His company wanted to charge me 350 dollars a day for a driver and translator, about twice the going rate. And to make sure I hired a driver every day he told me it was dangerous to go anywhere by myself.

It isn't dangerous in the Kurdish autonomous region. More people are killed from violence in Oregon, where the crime rate is low, than in Northern Iraq. But Mr. Araz played up it up for all it was worth, hoping I would pay extortionist rates to stay safe. (Needless to say, he did not get the job and I was not kidnapped or killed.)

I had no idea when I wrote that piece that it would be translated into Kurdish and published in Mr. Araz's hometown. I had no idea I would instrumental in ruining him, that I would publicly "shame" him in his conservative Muslim society that prides itself on hospitality and friendship with Americans. But that's exactly what I learned had happened.

It's all one Internet now. Even offline dead-tree newspapers in Iraq are plugged into it. I wrote Iraq Without a Gun as a foreign dispatch. Little did I know I was also, briefly, a local correspondent as well.

Posted by Michael J. Totten at October 29, 2006 11:06 AM

Comments

Very interesting! I'm curious, if you had to write that article over again, knowing what you do now, would you change anything?

Posted by: Walrus at October 29, 2006 05:02 PM

I'm afraid that a sentiment such as "he had it coming to him" sounds rather too harsh. But it is true. It's called standing up for yourself, and not being cowed. And it can be applied to many things in life.

Posted by: Teddy at October 29, 2006 07:52 PM

Oh, poor Araz. The guy was trying to take advantage of foreigners, even though he didn't arrive at the airport on time (so much for security, eh?). But does this go too far?

The KDP must have had it in for him.

Posted by: Charles Malik at October 29, 2006 09:47 PM

Although it used to be very harmless in Kurdistan, the danger level here has increased significantly in the last 16 months. I would not venture into Erbil alone or unarmed knowing what I know about activities that are going on here. Of course, it is still far more safe than any other portion of Iraq, but is rapidly losing that status. 3 things are contributing to that: rapid immigration of refugees from the southern portion of Iraq, the rise of insurgent and terrorist activities in Kirkuk and above, and unhappy eastern neighbors with a sudden interest in the region.

Interestingly, that same Erbil newspaper also carries a daily English edition as well. The writing, or more accurately, the editing into English isn't the best, but it is a good start.

Posted by: Ocho at October 29, 2006 11:35 PM

Ocho,

Has anything happened in Erbil lately that makes you concerned? Or are you worried about potential happenings? (I assume you live there, or are at least staying there for a while.)

Posted by: Michael J. Totten at October 30, 2006 12:31 AM

It's only a little too bad.

He deserves some bad publicity, but not being ruined. He's guilty of a very small cultural crime.

This is a common problem with any "justice" system: the only choices are too much punishment or none.

A reputation based system of personal recommendations helps smooth this, usually. But the culture needs to be able to accept public criticism. The change from horrible terrible shame if publiclly criticized into one where it's only a bad mark is a big change. Looks like the taxi driver is an early victim of this change.

Posted by: Tom Grey - Liberty Dad at October 30, 2006 12:48 AM

Interesting. Is this fact a double-edged sword for you? On the one hand, it must be thrilling to have your voice reach Joe Kurd, reading his daily paper in Erbil. On the other hand, I bet there are many critical things you would like to write about Iraqi extremists -- and it's a little disturbing how easily your copy could fall into their hands.

Posted by: David Kenner at October 30, 2006 04:57 AM

Re: Tom Grey-Liberty Dad's post above:

He deserves some bad publicity, but not being ruined. He's guilty of a very small cultural crime.

It's hardly a small cultural crime: the relationship of mutual concern and protection between host and guest is sacrosanct in that part of the world and has been from antiquity: what happened when Paris took Helen while a guest of Menelaus? What happened to Sodom when the men there tried to violate Lot's guests? You are projecting our values and culture onto them.

This is a common problem with any "justice" system: the only choices are too much punishment or none.

It isn't a justice system event at all: it's a cultural event. He has been ruined because he's lost face. I didn't read Michael saying the man had been thrown in jail.

The change from horrible terrible shame if publiclly criticized into one where it's only a bad mark is a big change. Looks like the taxi driver is an early victim of this change.

A change? Oh this is interesting! Attributable to what? It isn't a change at all: it is traditional. Posted by: Abu Nudnik at October 30, 2006 07:51 AM

The guy isn't in jail. And he also wasn't a mere taxi driver. He supplied cell phones, drivers, unmarked cars, and translators to foreign businessmen and journalists. He was recommended by the KDP. He was only one step away from being an official face of the government. So what he did was very bad.

I asked someone in the government to verify what he said to me about the danger level, not because I wanted to get him in trouble but because I needed to know how to behave, how much personal security I really needed. My government contact was extraordinarily offended by this man's behavior.

Posted by: Michael J. Totten at October 30, 2006 09:37 AM

It's a fascinating story, Mike. However, I would not read into it to the extent that Glenn Reynolds does. There are far too many media sources out there for any one person to read. Only a tiny fraction of ethnic kurds overcharging americans ever makes it into the news. And not only that, but only a tiny fraction of stories about it that get put into english are likely to ever make it back to Kurdistan.

That tiny fraction is significantly larger if you're an American. It's larger again if you're a blogger yourself. And it's even larger again if you're an American blogger visiting a country where pro-American sentiment and pro-American interest is way above any norm.

We'll be seeing a lot more stories like this - and they'll still be basically anecdotal.

It's a good thing to the extent that it occurs, though.

Posted by: glasnost at October 30, 2006 10:24 AM

It isn't dangerous in the Kurdish autonomous region.

I don't hear many good things coming out of Mosul recently.

Posted by: glasnost at October 30, 2006 10:27 AM

Mosul is near, but not in, the Kurdish autonomous region. It's in Nineva province, not Dohok province.

Posted by: Michael J. Totten at October 30, 2006 11:29 AM

Abu: "It isn't a justice system event at all: it's a cultural event."
You're wrong here -- 'losing face' is a punishment, for violating a 'cultural norm (=law)'. Not a political punishment, jail or fine, but cultural, reputational, traditional punishment.

All punishments involve a justice system.

If Kerry is refused Communion in Church because of his public pro-abortion votes, that will be a Catholic Church justice response punishment.

Mark Foley resigning for exercising his sexual free speech rights with a young man 'inappropriately' is a punishment.

Social ostricization in America for using the racist N* word now happens more than for using the obscene F* word (have seen Michael use the latter a few times, never the former).

"A change? Oh this is interesting! Attributable to what? It isn't a change at all: it is traditional."
The losing face, a traditional punishment, will likely be seen to be too small a punishment for deterence in the near, globalized future. Maybe this time the lost face is worse than recent profits -- but as the Kurds become successful urban folk, 'milking tourists' will be tried by more Kurds, and many will be more successful at exagerating just a little, or ripping off tourists just a little. 20%? 40%? 80%? How much 'ignorance surcharge' is too much?

And is "exagerating" the dangers really lying? Look at second hand smoke danger hype...

The prior Kurdish traditions, still current?, are long-term incompatible with internet, mass communication, global travelers, and peaceful development. They will be changing.

Posted by: Tom Grey - Liberty Dad at October 30, 2006 01:54 PM

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