Iraq Blog: Baghdad has stopped selling newspapers

[sabra]

http://iraqthemodel.blogspot.com

<snip>

Sunday and Monday were my days off this week, so this morning I stopped by the little sidewalk bookstore like I do on every workday, greeted the keeper who recognizes me as a devout reader of his papers now and asked for the usual package that usually consists of 4-5 papers; al-Sabah and al-Mada are a must, then a choice of two or three of al-Mashriq, New Sabah, al-Bayina al-Jadida, Baghdad, al-Mu'tamar, al-Dustoor…..

Me: what have you got for me today bro?
Papers guy: What are you looking for? No papers anymore my friend
Me: What? Why?
Papers guy: Don't you know? Oh, you didn't show up in a few days…well, we stopped selling newspapers.
Me: got that, but why?
Papers guy: they have threatened the 'borsa'.

Trying to connect 'borsa' to the papers but couldn't find a connection. From my background as an ex-shopkeeper the only 'borsa' I know is the exchange and imported cigarettes market in al-Kifah Street in the back of Shourja.

Me: what has the borsa got to do with the newspapers?
Papers guy: how come? That's where all the papers come from.

Here I realized that he was referring to that tortuous alley west of the Bab al-Mu'addam bus station where print houses drop their parcels of newspapers to be distributed to retailers in Baghdad and the rest of the country.

Me: who threatened them?
Papers guy: the death notes were signed by the mujahideen; they said that they will kill anyone who continues to print, distribute or sell newspapers.

He then showed me one of those notes; the ban includes virtually every paper but basically "papers that promote Safawi (Persian) Shiasm, blasphemous secular ideas and democracy…".

[Sabriel]

1. Are they ticked that we stopped paying for "happy" news?

NOW it's getting more democratic...getting rid of free speech and newspapers.
Sue

[Kailassa]

2. The mujahideen and the repukes are getting closer every day.

The question is, who is taking lessons from who?

[OnceUponTimeOnTheNet]

3. Bush controls our media also

Read this today at http://www.fox-news.us/story/0,3566,190215,00.html

excerpt
~Late Friday a series of memos between senior Bush Administration officials and management at Viacom, Inc. were leaked calling for the media giant to focus on stories and programming choices that "reinforce the Administration's positions" and to "ignore and/or discredit points of view in opposition to the Bush Administration's foreign policy objectives for the purposes of National Security.
Democrats and key civil rights figures were quick to comment on this latest chapter of alleged government malfeasance. Democratic Senator Barbara Boxer issued a statement calling for a congressional inquiry. "This is it. This is a smoking gun. For years we've been saying that liberal and moderate points of view aren't being accurately reflected in the media and this proves our point. The Bush Administration is clearly out of touch with the American people, and Viacom should be ashamed."




"For the Purposes of National Security"

I believe he has controlled the media this way since 9/11.