Charlie Rose Science Series
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Hot, Flat, and Crowded: Why We Need a Green Revolution--and How It Can Renew America
by Thomas L. Friedman
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by Thomas L. Friedman
Buy it
06/17/2008
Ahmed Rashid
A conversation with Ahmed Rashid
Keywords:
A conversation with journalist and author Ahmed Rashid.
DVD
Charlie Rose DVDs on Amazon.
Charlie Rose DVDs on Amazon.
Audio
Audio available through Audible.com.
Audio available through Audible.com.
Transcripts
Transcripts available through Voxant.
Transcripts available through Voxant.
Excellent interview. About time someone spoke the truth. Myopia once again exposing our flaws as a nation.
How serious have been the society building efforts in Afghanistan in recent years? Two quick examples. From 2002 to 2005, the West, though supposedly committed to rebuilding Afghanistan, left the volatile and poor south-east of the country to rot, unguarded and undeveloped, notes Jason Burke in The Guradian. "In late 2003, I found children starving in the pathetically misspelt 'therapoetic feeding ward' of Kandahar hospital." The Afghan authorities are often heard talking about the radicalization of youth in foreign madrasas. If this had genuinely alarmed the government, did it take any initiatives to counter such tendencies? Recruitment of Afghan religious students to the Taliban and other militant groups has brought renewed attention to the radicalization of youth through religious education abroad. According to a report by Oslo's Peace Research Institute: It is a common assumption within both government circles and civil society in Afghanistan that lack of access to quality religious education within their own country leads young Afghans to seek education abroad. Despite an outpour of sympathy and generous funds, not much has been done to offer enlightenment and engagement to dissuade the rising Afghan generations from riskier pursuits of desperate solutions.
Mr. Rashid clearly has an inside knowledge of the whole Pakistan- Afghanistan area and situation. But it seems to me he falls into the trap of expecting everything from the U.S. and blaming it for everything not alright in this region. It may well be as he says that the U.S. neglected Afghanistan to a certain degree after deciding to enter Iraq. The failure to eliminate the Al- Quaeda sanctuary area does seem a major mistake. Rashid does not like Musharraf and is critical of U.S. support of him. The 'blame Bush' sweepstakes has another entry with this conversation. But I wish on this one Charlie Rose had done more to speak about the possible danger Pakistan presents to the world. What will happen to the nuclear weapons if the Islamist faction takes over? What about Pakistan's relations with Iran? and with the whole Islamic jihad revival? I believe this conversation needed a third person one who sympathizes more with the Administration position and can present a reasonable defense of it.
What is NEW HERE MR ROSE....Anybody who has been paying attention since September of 2006, when Musharraf signed the truce with the Tribal Leaders in the NW, has known that Pakistan has been on a slipery slope. Yet NOT MUCH ATTENTION has been paid by the media including yourself. Not until we in the USA wake up one fine mornining to find out that Pakistan/Afganistan has blown up in our faces. Then we will all look around and say, "How could this happen."
Ahmed Rashid said that the failure of the Bush administration to pressure Pakistan's Pervez Musharraf is the reason for the Pakistan Taliban's growth. He said it was also because the administration changed its focus to Iraq. Mr. Rashid also said that, originally, the Afghanistan people hoped that the Americans would help them rebuild their nation. They did NOT see Americans in the same imperialistic light as they did the British and Russians. If America and NATO leave Afghanistan too soon, there is no contest as to what would happen. It would fall to the Taliban before the last plan load of soldiers touched down on American soil. WE CAN NOT LEAVE THE AFGHANISTAN PEOPLE TO THAT FATE AGAIN! The GHW Bush administration should have stepped in to help them rebuild their country as soon as the Russians left. If that had happened there would have been no Taliban to shelter OBL and alQaeda and the nearly 3000 people who died on 9/11 would not have met that terrible end. Our best defense against terrorism it to help other people live better lives. And, mjm, Mr. Rashid was the only one at the table talking with Charlie. You can watch the show online at www.charlierose.com any time you want.
thanks for the suggestion("The Second World Empires and Influence in the New Global Order")! i'm checking it out @ amazon right now and it looks juicy....
For a great analysis try, "The Second World Empires and Influence in the New Global Order," by Parang Khanna. The grand strategy referred to for Afghanistan should plan for a "graceful-exit-strategy" as soon as possible. We like Britain and Russia will ultimately have to cede especially with our new economic prospects. Our imperialism is merely a hangover anymore. Genuine humility may be surprisingly peace-inducing in the long run anyway.
so i heard a point brought up a few times by who i believe to be Vali Nasr. it was whoever was sitting next to Ahmed Rashid during tonight's 9pm interview. this man said that Taliban forces have grown stronger in the past 5 or so years. he said that they were gaining support in Pakistan, among other Mid-East countries. my question is why? i wonder why C. Rose did not ask him why he thinks this has occurred. what are the causes this growth? does the U.S. have any part in this growth?