This piece combines processed samples of a gently tolling tam tam with recordings from some of the Republic of Iraq's last radio broadcasts (provided by the BBC's listening station in Berkshire, UK). Two weeks into the war, Iraqi state radio proved to be surprisingly resilient, and continued to be heard despite repeated attacks by coalition forces against broadcasting facilities, which according to the coalition were used also for military communications. By 2004, after just 17 months of unregulated media growth, there were approximately 80 radio stations on air inside Iraq - including seven coalition-supported radio services, four Kurdish stations and five other opposition stations.

* Estimated on May 19, 2006 to be between 35,161 - 39,344 people >>