When I was in Iraq, I saw piles of electronic gear being sold on the streets of Baghdad. One of the biggest selling items seemed to be satellite dishes. The people I talked to all seemed to think this was a good thing . I wondered though, how it could be a good thing when these dishes would all pick up Al Jazeera. The last thing we needed was for Al Jazeera and other Arab media to start shaping Iraqi public opinion.
A telling sign that this is indeed happening is the latest CNN opinion poll in the country. On an individual level, 51% say their families are better off than before the war, while 25% say they are worse off. But when asked whether the country as a whole is better off, the split is 42% to 39%. This dramatic disparity suggests that Iraqis' perceptions are being influenced by something other than their own personal experiences, and I am afraid Al Jazeera is that something.
I don't have time to comment too much more on this, but to sum it up, if I am right, this is a huge fucking problem.
