When Iraqis talk of going to the U.S., Michigan often is the place they want to see. Naturally, they are familiar with the cities of New York and Chicago and the state of Texas. But to many Iraqis, Michigan is an ideal destination. When I talk to them on the phone, they tell me how gorgeous they hear (Detroit) Michigan is. Even its Arabic pronunciation in Iraq, I think, has come to have a nicer cadence than names of other states and cities.
