Baghdad, USA

From Samir Haddad, a correspondent for Islam Online comes "New Iraq Tastes American," a brief article about the "Americanization" of Iraq. Not every point he makes is convincing, but he does make some seemingly valid points. Excerpting now:

• The most striking feature was the new National Safety Defense Law passed by the interim government of Iyad Allawi on July 7 [and is compared with the U.S. "Patriot Act"].
• A post of national security advisor, now occupied by Muafaq Al-Bubaie, was introduced for the first time in Iraq, and probably the entire Arab world.
• Even the uniforms of US-trained Iraqi forces bear a great similarity to those of American soldiers, making it hard to distinguish between them.
• Iraqi policemen wear on their arms American-styled patches with English acronym carrying the names of their affiliated force.
• Even the new Iraqi police cars are similar to the Americans, with doors painted in blue and the word "Police" largely written on them.
• Women were also enlisted in the new Iraqi army, for the first time ever in the Arab country, after being trained outside Iraq.
• The American baseball game was introduced to Iraqi clubs, although it has not been known before to Iraqis, mostly fascinated with football matches.
• Observers also noticed that the trial of ousted Iraqi President Saddam Hussein looked American with Saddam, the defendant, sitting in a courtroom with no dock.
• In schools, students were handed out bags and notebooks carrying a picture of two hands shaking each other, the slogan of the US Agency for International Development (USAID).

Some of these things we may be tempted to greet, no doubt, with a shrug. But it's telling to see the focus and the concern.