August 26, 2003
Wired News reports on a new Internet cafe in Tikrit, Iraq. They have had internet before but at that time, any political or opposition site was blocked. This connection is unfiltered, and how are they using it?
TIKRIT, Iraq -- The first words Ahmed Abdullah typed in the Google search engine were 'George Bush.'
The cafe charges $1 per hour and has seen up to 30 visitors a day in its first five days. Similar projects are planned for three other cities. The Iraqi people getting a larger glimpse of the world beyond their borders will only help change the tone and aid in reconstruction. (Hat-tip to Alpha Patriot)
The 19-year-old wanted to access the president's website, something he couldn't do under restricted and tightly controlled Internet service during Saddam Hussein's rule.
UPDATE: Power Line has a picture of the cafe here.
