November 22, 2009
UTNE READER

Salam Pax Is Real

June 11, 2003
Peter Maass Slate.msn.com 
Article Tools
Print
Comments
RSS
Bookmark and Share

He has been called the Anne Frank of Baghdad for his insightful wartime diary, and he rivals Elvis in inscrutability and rumored sightings. In truth, he is Salam Pax, a well-informed Iraqi blogger who has been critical of both the former ruling Baath party, and the occupying Western allies. His blogs have created a fan base of malcontents who sport Salam Pax T-shirts, and his writing has been fodder for CNN, The New Yorker, and the Village Voice. Anyone who got caught up in the mystery of Salam Pax was musing about who the blogger might be, including reporter Peter Maass. After accumulating pieces of the Pax puzzle, Maass figured out that the evasive blogger was his very own interpreter with whom he had been traveling while covering the war. Maass says that Pax downplays his celebrity status. When Pax learned of the T-shirt and coffee mug product line featuring his namesake, he had a humble response: ?Are you kidding.?
?Nick Garafola

RELATED CONTENT

Go there>>Salam Pax Is Real

Related Links from the Utne Archive:

Bookmark and Share
RSS | Comments | E-mail | Print

Comments

Add Your Comment

We’d like to know what you think. To comment, please use this form. E-mail addresses are never displayed on comments, but they are required to confirm your comments. First time registrants: You will receive an email confirming your email address. Once you confirm, your comment will be posted. Questions about our comments policy? Click here.

Line breaks and paragraphs are automatically converted — no need to use <p> or <br> tags.

New to Utne Reader?
Sign up to share comments.
Asterisks(*) indicate required fields.
Name*
Your name appears next to your comment.

E-mail Address*
This will be your login ID.

City State Zip Code

Password*


Confirm Password*

Comments
1500 character limit (Offensive materials and/or spam will be removed, no HTML allowed)
Please Note: Your sign-up must be verified via e-mail before your comment is published.
FEATURED ARTICLES
MOST POPULAR


Pay Now & Save $6!
First Name: *
 Last Name: *
Address: *
 City: *
State/Province: *
 Zip/Postal Code:*
Country:
 Email:*
(* indicates a required item)
Canadian subs: 1 year, (includes postage & GST). Foreign subs: 1 year, . U.S. funds.
Canadian Subscribers - Click Here
Non US and Canadian Subscribers - Click Here
Want to gain a fresh perspective? Read stories that matter? Feel optimistic about the future? It's all here! Utne Reader offers provocative writing from diverse perspectives, insightful analysis of art and media, down-to-earth news and in-depth coverage of eye-opening issues that affect your life.

Save Even More Money By Paying NOW!

Pay now with a credit card and take advantage of our Earth-Friendly automatic renewal savings plan. You save an additional $6 and get 6 issues of Utne Reader for only $29.95 (USA only).

Or Bill Me Later and pay just $36 for 6 issues of Utne Reader!