Posted on 06/13/2004 1:34:17 PM PDT by wagglebee
In the surest sign yet that the U.S. liberation is beginning to have a lasting impact Iraq's culture, Baghdad now has its own talk radio station - where callers are allowed to complain about anything as long as they don't incite violence.
"There are no Rush Limbaughs here - yet," reports Newsday. In fact, the station, dubbed Radio Dijla, has a rule for its hosts: Don't butt in with opinions.
Still, the rules don't seem to inhibit listeners from dialing in. So far, callers' most pressing issue is the lack of electricity, reports the station's founder, 34-year-old Ahmad al-Rikaby. And yes, there are complaints about life under U.S. occupation.
What about that U.S. media obsession, Abu Ghriab?
The Radio Dijla founder made no mention of the prison abuse scandal among his list of hot topics.
Instead, Baghdadis want to know why, for instance, if the U.S. can put a man on the moon and repair oil pipelines in record time, it can't provide air conditioning amid the city's 100-degree heat?
Another big difference from its American cousins: Radio Dijla is forced to operate under intense security. Guards standing behind sandbags protect the station, while al-Rikaby keeps a submachine gun nearby just in case.
Most of the station's talk jockeys are young women with little radio experience. They listen patiently as callers flood the phone lines - "18,000 attempted calls on its two lines every day" - says Newsday.
Numbers like that suggest Iraqis are eager to take advantage of their newfound freedom.
Before the liberation, talk radio in Baghdad was limited to al-Shabab Radio, run by Saddam's murderous son Uday. Callers were allowed to discuss only love and poetry, but anti-government talk was strictly forbidden.
I was shocked to see someone properly prefacing Uday's name. I thought maybe, just maybe the mainstream press was starting to catch a clue.
Then I checked the source, and felt stupid for getting my hopes up.
LOL!
Yeah, the "Old Gray Whore" would talk about his "alleged" indiscretions.
perfect.
When are they going to start an Internet "Iraqi Free Republic" site?!
Yet another example of blatant bias by Right Wing Talk Radio! I'm sure that this will turn around once Air-Iraq (aka AIRaq) gets started up by Mustaffa Al-Franken....
Exactly...not to mention that it is their own people who are the ones blowing-up everything we fix. It makes it little hard to get things done when people aren't just destroying this infrastructure...they're killing those charged with building it. Next time they see a "contractor" hanging from a bridge, maybe they should attack the killers instead of applauding them. These people make me sick.
beautiful
How long until they get a commercial for Corteslim every 3 minutes?
It can happen!
If the Iraqis start their own chapter, maybe they can link to our site!
LOL!!!!
I just KNOW Gunner was dying to hear this.
How long until they get a commercial for Corteslim every 3 minutes?
And I want to see Iraqi men jumping around because they just decided to see their doctors about getting on Viagara.
I figure we won. Once they have freedom of speech they'll never turn back.
As humble always says, "A day without Rush is like a day without beer."
I admit I had the same thought: "Why don't you get busy and start fixing it yourselves?", but then I thought I hope they realize what it means that they can air their thoughts like this and we aren't going to tell them they can't say things like that.
And I know they'll get their AC eventually. I wonder if Iraq has a dry heat like here in Arizona. We have an alternative to AC, an evaporative cooler (aka "swamp cooler"), that works when it is extremely dry out and it is really inexpensive to use. It'd be nice if they had that technology if thay have a low dew point....(just thinking out loud on the last part)
Yeah! We didn't have IEP's lining the route to the moon and back. I'm wondering if Iraq will become Hollywood of the middle east. Instead of shows like "Days of Our Lifes", they will watch "The Land Between Two Rivers." Bagdad Bob had a flair for the dramatics, might as well start your own film industry.
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