Peter Maass knows the secret identity of Iraqi blogger Salam Pax, whose writings from his home in Baghdad have captivated thousands of readers and led to a regular column in London’s Guardian newspaper. Pax was apparently Maass’s translator while the New York Times journalist was reporting from Iraq, although Maass didn’t make the connection until he returned home. “Maass is still in touch with Pax via e-mail, and lately he has been forwarding inquiries from book publishers and magazine editors to his former employee. He has no doubt whatsoever that Pax is the real thing – just a middle-class Iraqi blogger without a specific agenda, not the tool of any political party or intelligence agency.”