Salam Pax, real name Salam Abdulmunem, created the blog “Where is Raed” during the invasion of the Iraq war in 2003. With the focus to discuss disappearances of people under the government of Sadam Hussein, Pax created one of the first instances of an individual’s blog having a widespread audience and impact.

Pax, born on in Baghdad in 1973, had an immense amount of international experience through travel. He was educated in Austria and returned to Iraq after his studies.

Originally, Pax had the idea to create his blog after he had been communicating to his friend, Raed, via email. He thought that blogging would be much more effective in keeping in touch with Raed during the war, because instead of getting a new email each time, Raed could just check the blog updates. Pax covered events that mainstream media sources had not; catastrophes that occurred in Baghdad such as bombings, fires and attacks. A sample of his blog can be viewed here:

With the inclusion of hyperlinks and photos, Pax’s blog is an example of new media technology.Because he incorporates his first hand accounts, personal experiences, and a bias view in his blog, Pax demonstrates how citizen journalism is an effective media tool in getting one’s point across. Here is a picture of a building after it was bombed, that mainstream media most likely would not have shown in the news:

With respectful words from Salam Pax himself:

“One day, like in Afghanistan, those journalists will get bored and go write about Syria or Iran; Iraq will be off your media radar. Out of sight, out of mind. Lucky you, you have that option. I have to live it.”

Rubbish… we will always be with you Salam!

-Emma Bratman