Date:         Tue, 22 Dec 2009 09:00:35 +0200
Reply-To:     dayancenter <[log in to unmask]>
Sender:       Tel Aviv University Notes <[log in to unmask]>
From:         dayancenter <[log in to unmask]>
Subject:      Dayan Center, TEL AVIV NOTES - "The Internet in post-Saddam Iraq"
Content-Type: multipart/mixed;

[multipart/related]

[multipart/alternative]



[]


Editor: Bruce Maddy-Weitzman               December 21, 2009


The Internet in post-Saddam Iraq


Tal Pavel

The status of the Internet in Iraq, regarding 
both governmental policies and usage, underwent a 
fundamental change following Saddam Husayn’s 
deposal in 2003. Still, as is true with so many 
other features of Iraqi life, Iraq does not 
constitute a single, homogenous unit with regard 
to the Internet.  Along with blogs and Facebook 
groups of ordinary Iraqi citizens, and Internet 
sites of government institutions, armed Islamist 
and other insurgent groups also are present in 
cyber-space; so are foreign military and civilian 
forces stationed in the country.  Ironically, the 
groups are intertwined: Iraq’s Western patrons 
invest in the communications infrastructure used 
by the government, by the insurgents - partly in 
order to document their attacks on foreign and 
governmental forces and institutions - and by 
ordinary Iraqis, who write about their lives in 
the midst of the ongoing violent confrontation 
between the insurgents and foreign and government forces.


The Spreading of the Internet

The Internet made its first appearance in Iraq in 
1998, but only became available for public usage 
two years later.  During the last days of Saddam 
Husayn’s regime, there were 45,000 users, out of 
a population of 24 million.  Most were government 
officials, the rest were those who could afford 
to pay the very high fees which were beyond the 
means of average Iraqis; these fees were the 
product of legal limitations on the possession of 
modems and the absence of appropriate parts and 
infrastructure, owing to the international 
sanctions against Iraq then in effect.

At the time, Saddam’s regime created a network of 
65 internet cafes, where access to all electronic 
e-mail services were blocked and connecting even 
to permitted sites was severely limited.  One of 
the few ways by which these limitations could be 
bypassed was to travel to the Kurdistan region, 
where Internet usage was relatively free.[1]

Today, the Internet in Iraq is still a tool of 
the privileged few:  according to official 
statistics, only 1% of the population can access 
it, the lowest rate among all Middle East states 
(Yemen, the next lowest, has a penetration rate 
of 1.6%, while Oman, the country above Yemen on 
the list, has a 13.6% rate).[2]  However, the 
Iraqi picture is more complicated. According to a 
2008 report, the state internet provider indeed 
had only 250,000 subscribers, but an American 
adviser to the Iraqi Communications Ministry 
estimated that the actual number of Internet 
users in Iraq was 12 million (!).  Most of these 
users connected to the Internet illegally, 
through the secondary use of existing 
subscribers, in order to cope with the 
authorities’ failure to meet the high demand for connectivity.[3]

Internet Usage Features

Much of Iraq’s youth are Internet-savvy, have web 
based e-mail addresses and use the Internet for 
various purposes.  There are many Iraqi 
bloggers,[4] both in-country[5] and outside; some 
of the latter resided in Iraq until 
recently.[6]  They include men and women of 
varying ages, writing in English or 
Arabic.  Their blogs, some of which have been 
active for a number of years, address the myriad 
goings-on in the country.  [7]

One may find on Facebook scores of Iraqi groups 
and personal pages (both in-country and outside), 
in English and in Arabic, some with thousands of 
members, dealing with life in Iraq in general,[8] 
and a wide variety of specific subjects 
including: history,[9] the environment,[10] the 
Turkomen minority,[11] academic life,[12] Iraqi 
engineers,[13] the Iraqi stock market,[14] 
football,[15] women,[16] and the Iraqi army.[17] 
One may also find groups devoted to Saddam Husayn 
(one labels him the “King of Iraq” and has 69 
“fans”, but is almost entirely inactive),[18] and 
to the Iraqi journalist who threw his shoes at 
President Bush (the group has 1700 
“fans”).[19]   Some are updated regularly,[20] 
some have not been updated for a long 
while,[21]  and others have been active for a number of years.

The Iraqi state authorities have an Internet 
presence, including the Presidency,[22] the 
Cabinet,[23] the Parliament (both national and 
regional Kurdish),[24] and various government 
agencies and companies, including the national 
airline.[25]  However, many of the governmental 
links which appear on the Presidency website are 
broken,[26] evidence that the Internet in Iraq is 
still in its initial penetration stage, even at the official level.

The US effort to significantly upgrade the 
information infrastructure in Iraq is palpable. 
Its Department of Defense invested $165m. in the 
creation of internet cafes, whose number grew 
accordingly from 36 in 2004 to 170 in 2006.[27] 
One may find in these cafes advanced computers 
with fast internet connections, a variety of 
software programs, and internet cameras, along 
with individual cubicles which provide a measure of privacy for the users.

The Internet as a tool for Islamic Extremist Groups.

Many of the various Islamic movements and 
organizations in Iraq have their own internet 
sites,[28] some of which are active,[29] others 
which have ceased being so.[30] Among the active 
sites is one devoted to the “Snipers of 
Baghdad.”[31] Another produced a multimedia unit 
devoted to “The Iraqi Islamic Army’s Harvest for 
2008”.[32]  In addition, there are discussion 
forums devoted to these groups.[33]  Islamist 
groups also use YouTube to document their attacks 
against the foreign forces present in the 
country, from roadside bombs to sniper fire.[34] 
Their videos are often accompanied by religious 
songs.[35] One may also find evidence of the 
brutality of daily life, including murders,[36] 
as well as violence committed by government security forces.[37]

It was recently reported that the Islamists in 
Iraq had used the Internet to hunt down 
homosexuals participating in chat rooms and 
forums, in order to torture and kill them.  As it 
is, these groups were said to be responsible for 
the deaths of 130 homosexual men since the beginning of the year.[38]

Limitations on the Internet

No instances of governmental interference or 
limitation on Internet usage have been documented 
in recent years, nor have there been any policy 
declarations to that end.[39]  However, in recent 
months, the Iraqi authorities have taken a number 
of steps to limit the freedom of information, 
including preventing books from being published, 
and blocking Internet sites deemed to be 
injurious to the public, i.e. sites with sexual 
content, or ones which promote drugs, gambling, 
criticisms of Islam or violence.  Internet cafe 
owners have been compelled to register with the 
authorities, or face closure.  The authorities 
justify these measures by saying that the 
offending books and Internet sites encourage 
violence and have a bad influence on Iraqi youth. 
Opponents of these measures, for their part, 
claim that the government’s actions threaten to 
return Iraq to the bad old days of Saddam Husayn, 
and make it more like neighboring states.[40]

To conclude, because of Iraq’s severe isolation 
prior to 2003 and the resulting lack of 
appropriate infrastructure, plus the country’s 
chaotic state of affairs since then, it will take 
quite some time before Iraq reaches the level of 
neighboring states regarding the degree of 
Internet penetration and usage.  At the same 
time, it appears that at least a portion of the 
Iraqi populace is hungry for access to the new 
media.  However, the situation remains 
fragile.  Without a doubt, the more the country 
achieves in terms of stability and functioning 
governmental institutions, the greater the role 
that the Internet will play in the lives of its citizens.


Dr. Tal Pavel is an expert of Internet and 
technology in the Middle East and the Islamic 
world. More material on the subject can be found 
on his site - 
<http://www.middleeast-internet-monitor.com/>middleeast-internet-monitor.com

  NOTES


[1] 
<http://www.anhri.net/en/reports/net2004/iraq.shtml>http://www.anhri.net/en/reports/net2004/iraq.shtml 


[2] http://www.internetworldstats.com/stats5.htm

[3]<http://www.boston.com/news/world/middleeast/articles/2008/05/25/iraqi_software_pirate_likes_it_offshore_where_his_skills_mean_good_business/>http://www.boston.com/news/world/middleeast/articles/2008/05/25/iraqi_software_pirate_likes_it_offshore_where_his_skills_mean_good_business/ 


[4] According to my own examination, many of the 
blogs are based on Google’s “Blogger” 
platform.  Also, in analyzing the blogs on 
<http://iraqblogcountexp.blogspot.com/>http://iraqblogcountexp.blogspot.com 
(Iraq Blog Count), which maps Iraqi blogs, one 
finds that 110 out of 149 registered blogs are based on Google’s platform

[5] 
<http://www.rosebaghdad.blogspot.com/>http://www.rosebaghdad.blogspot.com, 
http://moslawi.blogspot.com, 
<http://www.astarfrommosul.blogspot.com/>http://www.astarfrommosul.blogspot.com, 
http://iraqi-translator.blogspot.com, 
<http://baghdadentist.blogspot.com/>http://baghdadentist.blogspot.com, 
http://confusediraqi.blogspot.com, 
<http://saminkie.blogspot.com/>http://saminkie.blogspot.com

[6] http://aviraqi.blogspot.com, 
<http://www.baghdadgirl.blogspot.com/>http://www.baghdadgirl.blogspot.com, 
http://baghdadtreasure.blogspot.com, 
<http://iraqimojo.blogspot.com/>http://iraqimojo.blogspot.com

[7] http://www.astarfrommosul.blogspot.com – Active since June 2004;
<http://secretsinbaghdad.blogspot.com/>http://secretsinbaghdad.blogspot.com 
– Active since December 2003;
<http://neurotic-iraqi-wife.blogspot.com/>http://neurotic-iraqi-wife.blogspot.com 
– Active since August 2004;

[8]<http://www.facebook.com/search/?flt=1&q=IRAQ&o=65&sid=1431751423.1567501651..1&s=10#/group.php?gid=2298113332&ref=search&sid=1431751423.1567501651..1>http://www.facebook.com/search/?flt=1&q=IRAQ&o=65&sid=1431751423.1567501651..1&s=10#/group.php?gid=2298113332&ref=search&sid=1431751423.1567501651..1, 
http://www.facebook.com/search/?flt=1&q=IRAQ&o=65&sid=1431751423.1567501651..1&s=10#/group.php?gid=9965939982&ref=search&sid=1431751423.1567501651..1, 
<http://www.facebook.com/search/?flt=1&q=IRAQ&o=69&sid=1431751423.1567501651..1&s=10#/group.php?gid=35884694252&ref=search&sid=1431751423.1567501651..1>http://www.facebook.com/search/?flt=1&q=IRAQ&o=69&sid=1431751423.1567501651..1&s=10#/group.php?gid=35884694252&ref=search&sid=1431751423.1567501651..1, 


[9]<http://www.facebook.com/search/?flt=1&q=IRAQ&o=69&sid=1431751423.1567501651..1&s=10#/group.php?gid=55648240758&ref=search&sid=1431751423.1567501651..1>http://www.facebook.com/search/?flt=1&q=IRAQ&o=69&sid=1431751423.1567501651..1&s=10#/group.php?gid=55648240758&ref=search&sid=1431751423.1567501651..1 


[10]<http://www.facebook.com/search/?flt=1&q=IRAQ&o=65&sid=1431751423.1567501651..1&s=10#/pages/Keep-Iraq-Clean-/200170140345?ref=search&sid=1431751423.1567501651..1>http://www.facebook.com/search/?flt=1&q=IRAQ&o=65&sid=1431751423.1567501651..1&s=10#/pages/Keep-Iraq-Clean-/200170140345?ref=search&sid=1431751423.1567501651..1 


[11]<http://www.facebook.com/search/?flt=1&q=IRAQ&o=65&sid=1431751423.1567501651..1&s=10#/pages/Kirkuk-Iraq/Iraq-Turkmeneli/58551125117?ref=search&sid=1431751423.1567501651..1>http://www.facebook.com/search/?flt=1&q=IRAQ&o=65&sid=1431751423.1567501651..1&s=10#/pages/Kirkuk-Iraq/Iraq-Turkmeneli/58551125117?ref=search&sid=1431751423.1567501651..1 


[12]<http://www.facebook.com/search/?flt=1&q=IRAQ&o=65&sid=1431751423.1567501651..1&s=30#/pages/baghdad-Iraq/University-of-Technology-IRAQ/27326700705?ref=search&sid=1431751423.1567501651..1>http://www.facebook.com/search/?flt=1&q=IRAQ&o=65&sid=1431751423.1567501651..1&s=30#/pages/baghdad-Iraq/University-of-Technology-IRAQ/27326700705?ref=search&sid=1431751423.1567501651..1, 
http://www.facebook.com/search/?flt=1&q=IRAQ&o=65&sid=1431751423.1567501651..1&s=30#/iraqedu?ref=search&sid=1431751423.1567501651..1, 
<http://www.facebook.com/pages/Iraq-Scholars-and-Leaders-Program-ISLP/124512469709?ref=search&sid=1431751423.1567501651..1>http://www.facebook.com/pages/Iraq-Scholars-and-Leaders-Program-ISLP/124512469709?ref=search&sid=1431751423.1567501651..1 


[13]<http://www.facebook.com/search/?flt=1&q=IRAQ&o=65&sid=1431751423.1567501651..1&s=10#/pages/Iraq/Iraq-Engineers/66550535071?ref=search&sid=1431751423.1567501651..1>http://www.facebook.com/search/?flt=1&q=IRAQ&o=65&sid=1431751423.1567501651..1&s=10#/pages/Iraq/Iraq-Engineers/66550535071?ref=search&sid=1431751423.1567501651..1 


[14] 
<http://www.facebook.com/pages/Iraq-Stock-Exchange/24947317363?ref=search&sid=1431751423.1567501651..1>http://www.facebook.com/pages/Iraq-Stock-Exchange/24947317363?ref=search&sid=1431751423.1567501651..1 


[15] 
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Hamilton-ON/iraq-fc-2009/86666973300?ref=search&sid=1431751423.1567501651..1, 
<http://www.facebook.com/pages/Iraq-national-football-team/63534000107?ref=search&sid=1431751423.1567501651..1>http://www.facebook.com/pages/Iraq-national-football-team/63534000107?ref=search&sid=1431751423.1567501651..1 


[16] 
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Women-for-Women-International-Iraq/70579588419?ref=search&sid=1431751423.1567501651..1 


[17] 
<http://www.facebook.com/pages/Army-Of-Iraq/45571733506?ref=search&sid=1431751423.1567501651..1>http://www.facebook.com/pages/Army-Of-Iraq/45571733506?ref=search&sid=1431751423.1567501651..1, 
http://www.facebook.com/pages/-Iraq-Army/118879458567?ref=search&sid=1431751423.1567501651..1 


[18] 
<http://www.facebook.com/pages/Saddam-HUSSEIN-King-of-Iraq-/106846778623?ref=search&sid=1431751423.1567501651..1>http://www.facebook.com/pages/Saddam-HUSSEIN-King-of-Iraq-/106846778623?ref=search&sid=1431751423.1567501651..1 


[19] 
http://www.facebook.com/pages/brave-iraq-reporter-attacks-George-w-bush-with-his-shoes/105791760244?ref=search&sid=1431751423.1567501651..1 


[20] <http://abutamam.blogspot.com/>http://abutamam.blogspot.com

[21] http://riverbendblog.blogspot.com, 
<http://bethnahrain.blogspot.com/>http://bethnahrain.blogspot.com, 
http://www.theiraqiroulette.blogspot.com

[22] http://www.iraqipresidency.net

[23 <http://www.cabinet.iq/>http://www.cabinet.iq

[24] http://www.parliament.iq; 
<http://www.kurdistan-parliament.org/>http://www.kurdistan-parliament.org

[25] http://www.motiraq.org, 
<http://www.iraqimoc.net/>http://www.iraqimoc.net, 
http://www.moheiraq.org, <http://www.iq-airways.com/>http://www.iq-airways.com

[26] http://www.cbiraq.org, 
<http://www.uruklink.net/oil>http://www.uruklink.net/oil, 
http://www.iraqelectric.org, 
<http://www.moeiraq.info/>http://www.moeiraq.info, 
http://www.ieciraq.org, 
<http://www.iraqi-mwr.org/>http://www.iraqi-mwr.org, 
http://www.iraqiindustry.com

[27] <http://opennet.net/studies/iraq2007>http://opennet.net/studies/iraq2007

[28] For a mapping of the Islamic groups active 
in Iraq, see, 
<http://www.jamestown.org/articles-by-author/?no_cache=1&tx_cablanttnewsstaffrelation_pi1%5Bauthor%5D=355>Abdul 
Hameed Bakier, "Iraq’s Islamic Mujahideen 
Profiled by Jihadi Websites: Part One," The 
Jamestown Foundation, Publication: Terrorism 
Focus Volume: 5 Issue: 40, 26 November 2008 
<<http://www.jamestown.org/single/?no_cache=1&tx_ttnews%5Btt_news%5D=34183>http://www.jamestown.org/single/?no_cache=1&tx_ttnews%5Btt_news%5D=34183  
 >;  and
ibid, "Iraq’s Islamic Mujahideen Profiled by 
Jihadi Websites: Part Two,", The Jamestown 
Foundation, Publication: Terrorism Focus Volume: 
5 Issue: 41, 03 December 2008 
<<http://www.jamestown.org/single/?no_cache=1&tx_ttnews%5Btt_news%5D=34209>http://www.jamestown.org/single/?no_cache=1&tx_ttnews%5Btt_news%5D=34209>

[29] http://www.ktb-20.net/ktb, 
<http://ansar11.org/>http://ansar11.org, 
http://iaisite.org, 
<http://rjfront.info/>http://rjfront.info, 
http://jaami.info, <http://al-rashedeen.info/>http://al-rashedeen.info

[30] http://www.kataeb20.com, 
<http://al-hesbah.info/>http://al-hesbah.info, 
http://al-firdaws.info, 
<http://al-ekhlaas.net/>http://al-ekhlaas.net, 
http://m3ark.net, 
<http://www.alrashedeenarmy.com/>http://www.alrashedeenarmy.com

[31] http://baghdadsniper.net

[32] 
<http://alboraqmedia.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=116&Itemid=1>http://alboraqmedia.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=116&Itemid=1 


[33] http://alboraq.info, 
<http://alboraqforum.info/>http://alboraqforum.info, 
http://alboraq.biz, 
<http://muslm.net/vb>http://muslm.net/vb, http://hanein.info/vb

[34] 
<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fs-OIJxDEEQ>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fs-OIJxDEEQ, 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qORfqCZ3dLc, 
<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cSv6aOBocMY>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cSv6aOBocMY, 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HY5z5r2UjYo, 
<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O0kETEhxIis>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O0kETEhxIis, 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MgAH9SdwK6s

[35] 
<http://www.archive.org/details/Homaat-Aldaar>http://www.archive.org/details/Homaat-Aldaar 


[36] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wPUWXN3dn2o

[37] 
<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rwbuFLLG71A>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rwbuFLLG71A, 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gNIpnIGMb9o, 
<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kBztD75sOuQ>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kBztD75sOuQ, 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2yLVyJBIt5c

[38] 
<http://www.care2.com/causes/human-rights/blog/making-a-career-out-of-killing-gay-iraqis-using-internet-lgbt-genocide/>http://www.care2.com/causes/human-rights/blog/making-a-career-out-of-killing-gay-iraqis-using-internet-lgbt-genocide 


[39] http://opennet.net/research/profiles/iraq

[40] 
<http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/04/world/middleeast/04censor.html?_r=2&ref=world>http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/04/world/middleeast/04censor.html?_r=2&ref=world 




  TEL AVIV NOTES is published with the support of the V. Sorell Foundation


Previous editions of  TEL AVIV NOTES can be 
accessed at www.dayan.org, under "Commentary".


You are subscribed to the Moshe Dayan Center 
Electronic Mailing List. Should you wish to 
unsubscribe, please send an email to 
[log in to unmask], with the message:   unsubscribe dayan-center

[text/html]

1deb6135.jpg [image/jpeg]