Another View on Salam Pax

Spiked's Brendan O'Neill has an interesting, contrarian take on the journalistic lovefest directed at Baghdad blogger Salam Pax (for the record, I'm a fan). He argues that Salam is popular among Western audiences not because he gives deep insight into Iraq but because he reflects what those of us in Britain and America already hold near and dear. O'Neill concludes

By all means continue reading the Baghdad blogger, and, if you like that kind of thing, take pleasure in his everyday observations. But don't pretend that he reveals anything to us about the Iraqi mindset or about Iraqi people's hopes and aspirations. Rather, Salam tells us about ourselves - and, as we know, liberal journalists and bloggers like nothing better than to read about themselves.

Comments

[Lonewacko]

I'll note that Salam/Raed are promoting Marla Ruzicka's CIVIC organization. If you aren't familiar with Marla, click here.

Strangely enough, that association hasn't appeared to have been highlighted by too many pro-Salam bloggers.

[Gandu]

right on!

[Anonymous]

orientalism, how original.

[Heather]

How does orientalism apply?

[Dakota Loomis]

Not to put too fine of a point on it, but O'Neill's decision to place liberal in front of blogger's and journalists gives me a slight case of the pukies.

Weren't Andrew Sullivan, Glenn Reynolds, De Beste and other conservative pundits Salam's original champions???

Liberal is such a lazy slur.

[roy edroso]

"He argues that Salam is popular among Western audiences not because he gives deep insight into Iraq but because he reflects what those of us in Britain and America already hold near and dear."

In which regard, Salam Pax is like any other columnist (except, of course, for me and thee).

Eventually this guy will be judged by the quality of his work, but throughout the war he served mainly as an ideological shuttlecock for stateside bloggers, and is one still, it appears.

By the way, re Loomis' statement, if there's any term giving "liberal" a run for its money as a "lazy" modifier these days, it's "contrarian." Since most liberals and conservatives (and let's not forget libertarians!) like to imagine horrible media conspiracies against themselves, every half-assed pundit these days thinks he's Lenny Bruce, it seems.

[Sven]

It is an interesting take, but what makes O'Neill qualified to question Salaam Pax's qualifications to comment on life in Baghdad

I fail to understand the vitriol being spewed about S.P. Is it professional jealousy? His criticisms of U.S. policy are pretty mild compared to even moderate lefty bloggers, and he even concedes that Hussein had to be taken out.