New Yoker On Qat

Good article by Joshua Hersh, though I might be biased to anything that quotes me, even with such a sarcastic, snark-laden bit.   Here's Hersh's close.


Eventually, my taxi arrived at the journalist’s house, and he offered me some qat. Friedman wrote that he had tried qat—he stopped chewing after fifteen minutes, he said—and I wasn’t going to let him out-Yemen me. Breaking off the small, soft leaves, I chewed on them, three or four at a time. No major revelations, although my notes got a little sloppy, then ceased altogether. Later I was told that it sometimes takes a few sessions before you really “get it.” I’ll have to give it another go.

Yes, you will my friend.  Yes you will.  I found that the second time is when I fully got its subtle magic.  So the lesson here to all you young journalists is: don't give up.  Don't be like Friedman.  

Interestingly, I just now got back from the high school my brother teaches at where I talked to a couple of Current Events classes on Yemen (gratis, this time).  The qat questions were difficult to dance around.  It is strange to be angry to a bunch of high-schoolers about how the government doesn't let its employees do drugs.  

So let me explain: embassy workers are not supposed to chew.  This is an insane and self-defeating policy.  The chew is the best place to make friendships, earn trust, and learn about what is really going on in Yemen.  It would be nice if influential people like Friedman would talk about qat in such a way, and maybe affect policy, rather than treat it as a curio from Baedeker-land.   Our fainting hysteria when we hear the word "drug" is detrimental to our security.  

And on the off chance you are reading this, Rep Ackerman, I am sorry I was so mean.  I usually don't talk about people like that unless they are coaching the Bears.  But, dammit man, do some research.