Our Daily Labors

In the run-up to and in the midst of "major combat operations" in Iraq, many throughout the blogosphere embraced Salam Pax, the Baghdad-based Iraqi blogger whose frequent posting and relative isolation from the political biases of Western writers made him the go-to guy for unique war reporting.  The warbloggers, in particular, hailed Salam Pax both as a valued writer and as an example of the modern Iraqis for whom the war (in some warbloggers’ view) was being fought.  Many petitioned the Western media to give Salam Pax a job, and his acclaim hardly diminished when he signed with the lefty Guardian.

A couple of weeks ago, Salam Pax reported that a friend of his was unfairly detained and assaulted by U.S. military personnel in Baghdad.  A few Bush-apologist bloggers picked it up, expressing the suspicion that it was an anomalous incident and the hope that the American military authorities would take steps to minimize such incidents in the future, "lest this develop into a public relations problem for the U.S."  Last week, U.S. military personnel invaded the home of Salam Pax’s family, acting on a tip based on the suspicious comings and goings of the carpenters renovating the kitchen.  After helping themselves to Salam Pax’s father’s Johnny Walker, the Armies of One asked the Pax family "several pointless questions," and then left.  Salam Pax posted his report of the incident Thursday night Pacific Time, but as of this writing I haven’t seen any of his former boosters mention it, let alone comment on how it reflects on the wisdom of the Bush Administration’s occupation liberation policy.

I guess someone should have filled Salam Pax in on the American observance of Labor Day ("It’s not in May?") and it’s effect on filing deadlines.  Yeah, that’s it.