Can new media build up “civil society” in Iraq?
Tim Swanson,
April 21, 2009
Several tech firms have recently made their way to Iraq. Company representatives from YouTube, Twitter, Google, AT&T and others made the journey as part of a new effort being spearheaded by the State Department to further “diplomatic gains.”
Somehow it is difficult to see how Web 2.0 will alleviate a problem being caused by non-digital occupiers. Perhaps Google and Twitter engineers should be sent to Gaza next? Then Iran, North Korea and Somalia.
Eureka! I think the State Department has finally solved the Gulf of Aden piracy conundrum, send in MeetUp and WordPress pronto.
Steve Hogan
April 21st, 2009 at 6:28 am
Just when I thought no one could possibly match the Pentagon when it comes to collective stupidity, along comes the State Dept to prove me wrong. Now, if Google wants to go to Iraq to sell its wares, more power to them. But for the State Dept weenies to be spearheading this lame-brained scheme is an indication that our government is completely clueless. They are morally and ideologically bankrupt, and by spending a trillion dollars on our failed nation-building boondoggle in Iraq, they’re fiscally bankrupting us too.
Just how bad do the failures have to be before our government admits the obvious and reverses course? Can they really be this stupid?
Lear K
April 21st, 2009 at 7:36 am
Let’s see as most Iraqis have hard time feeding their families,have no clean water to drink,living fear at all times,no swrear treatment with wide spread choleara and other dseases,many have lost their homes,etc,etc,but rejoice1!at least they will be getting YouTube, Twitter, Google, AT&T.
Brad Smith
April 21st, 2009 at 12:05 pm
I don’t see any “diplomatic gains” coming out of this. However, I’m sure that anything that makes the lives of these people better won’t hurt a thing. I don’t believe the government should be involved in any way with Iraq. We should get out and stay out.
If private companies are encouraged to bring some new tech stuff in why not. As I understand it many of the people would be glad to have a cheaper alternative. What’s wrong with that. If I were stuck in my house with no way to communicate I would look for any alternative.
The occupation and the destruction it has brought is the problem. This isn’t a solution but I honestly don’t see what it will hurt.
It think many people would be surprized at how tech savey and relient many people are all over the world.
So basically it’s no answer but it’s not really adding to any problems either.
Peace!
bacon
April 21st, 2009 at 3:34 pm
It’s a problem because the new ’social media’ (Youtube and Twitter don’t exactly qualify as ‘tech’) are freighted with ideological baggage. They sell themselves as advances in democracy, when in fact they just distract people from the really substantial political problems. Consider this person quote in the article:
“Can’t wait to hear how Iraqis might embrace the potential of the people’s internet in a 21st century democracy …”
A lot of people are going to sit around waiting for the internet to work its magic, rather than, say, bothering to read up on the political, social, economic and cultural issues that are going to determine the future of Iraq.
I remember when cell phones proliferated shortly after the invasion. Lots of ink was spilled pointing to this as a sign the country was going in the right direction. In fact, it made zero difference to Iraqi politics, just as Youtube and Twitter will, but Americans understand cell phones, Youtube and Twitter and they don’t understand Iraqi politics. If you can get a couple of pampered green zone kids -sons of government officials – to start posting Youtube videos, Americans will take this as a sign that things are going well.
Brad Smith
April 21st, 2009 at 4:52 pm
I get your point. I don’t think I did a good job of making myself clear. I’ll try again.
Many of the people of Iraq are stuck without an affordable means of communication. They hear bombs going off and need to know what is going on. Should they walk down the block? Someone they may know is dead, would it be better to put themselves in danger or hit the keypad?
I think that your way off in assuming that it’s only “pampered green zone kids -sons of government officials” that are using this. This has become their only means of communication, why shouldn’t they have access to a cheaper and quicker means.
As I said, I don’t believe the government should be involved. However, anyone who can make life easier for the people of Iraq should be incouraged.
Your worried about how this will appear to the sheeple of this county, I am not. For the most part we are already brainwashed and take anything they say as fact.
Your concern seems to be how this affects politics and opinion here in the US. And I get it, it’s media manipulation as usual. I am talking about whether this is good or bad for the people of Iraq. I don’t believe that they are nearly as easily manipulated as the average US citizen. They know the reality of their situation much better than we do. While this works for them they will use it. When it doesn’t they will reject it. I know we have all become used to being surrounded by sheeple. However, you shouldn’t assume that the people of Iraq are as brainwashed as the rest of us.
Peace!
Lester Ness
April 21st, 2009 at 6:45 pm
Without electricity, they won’t be running computers much. Twitter et al. are likely to help resistance groups as much as anyone.
Lester Ness
Bill K.
April 24th, 2009 at 1:18 pm
I can see it now, Iraqi Social Networking sites.
AhmedShahidBrigade21: Yo man can’t type write now, gotta go ambush an invader patrol!
SalamiSandWitch82: STFU! Our village just declared a fatwa on them!
AssadAbabil#1: Anybody know how to connect a detonator to a tank shell???
Apparently infrastructure, sanitation, clean water, jobs, and food are overrated! All Iraq needs is American electronic consumer services and all the above problems will disappear.