The first chapter is the typical “Embedded Journalism/Our Boyz in the Danger Zone” stuff, where you wonder sometimes what a respected Village Elder feels when a Texas snotnose is gesticulating at him, blurping something of “missing cooperation” and shouting “take that, motherfucker” when firing a gun (”So that’s their Allah-uh-Akbar perhaps?”).

Further along Martin Smith does not reveal new insights but he, as Walt puts it, “easily [manages to] slant the story by omitting any footage that doesn’t fit the impression [he is] trying to leave and by shaping the story in ways that reinforce a particular conclusion”. I was always a supporter of a continued presence of American and ISAF forces on Afghan soil (although I still haven’t provided my “In or Out” proposal in written form), but while watching I was continuously feeling “Ok, Ok, leave it and go. It’s no use.”

Backing what Florian has earlier brought up on Stanley McChrystal (”we should have better not gone there [Helmand] at all”(!)), he and his advisers do give extended comments and are criticized likewise by the minimalists although those are underrepresented (Andrew Bacevich).

On the other side the Holbrooke team has their say (himself, Vali Nasr). He really comes through as the dandyish (his sunglasses?), self-confident character George Packer has described him as.

Steve Coll gives probably the fairest assessment (”In the end the Taliban will be defeated strategically when the government of Pakistan makes a strategic decision that its future does not lie in partnership with Islamic extremists”), especially of the guys who completely suck in their interviews (Rehman Malik, Athar Abbas). Unfortunately Pakistan does not seem to have its best guys in the spots that are most likely to be questioned by Western Journalists.

On the other side, Amrullah Seh, head of Afghani intelligence sports a great appearance although he doesn’t even really open his mouth.

As always its well made by PBS although the content is nothing new. Some images although do tell stories that are only poorly portrayed in textual accounts and the back up material PBS provides is extensive.

Richard Holbrooke has been appointed by the Obama administration as the special representative to Afghanistan and Pakistan. He has subsequently assembled a team of experts under his wings that (according to George Packer in his New Yorker article) numbers around 30 people. Since this team is essential for the further progress of the conflicts in the area, the counter insurgency going on and possible prospects of rebuilding the Afghan economy and keeping Pakistan stable, I want to investigate the team’s members further and provide some information about them and their work to date.

Richard Holbrooke

In a recent New Yorker issue, George Packer published an insightful article (to date only available with subscription). It deals briefly with Holbrooke’s earlier assignments (Vietnam, Serbia/Bosnia), his character and how that enables him or hinders him to accomplish his present task.

According to this article, Holbrooke visits the area once a month.

George Packer on Richard Holbrooke, New Yorker Sept. 2009

To get a second view you may read the equally long article from the NYMag written by Meryl Gordon. It’s from the last year of the Clinton era when Holbrooke was US ambassador to the UN and focuses more on his private life, his Jewish ancestors from Germany, and his then recent activity in Bosnia. It is perhaps less enjoyable to read but does leave away the (superfluous) nostalgia of being in an exciting place where danger looms ’round the corner – something that comes through in Packer’s piece.

>> I am drifting of here to the point where brackets close again … When he describes driving through Islamabad in Holbrooke’s convoy, all streets cleared for them, “Islamabad felt like a capital under siege. We were driven at night from the airport to a barricaded hotel in a convoy of SUV that wove in and out of single file in evasive maneuvers … blablabla”. Yes Mr. Packer, your friends will be impressed by these stories and happy that you arrived home safely. But first you could have taken a taxi and it would all have been less siege-like – thus you (or “the Americans”) are creating that feeling of being in a dangerous place yourself. Secondly those maneuvers are just because of those god-damn check posts placed everywhere. Add that and it all sounds less adventure-like. That you are riding around in SUVs is equally unnecessary, you could as well take normal (if you feel you really need it, fully armored) cars. I don’t want to ride too much criticism against George Packer here, since I understand that he traveled as Holbrooke’s company and thus extra security is advisable. But since other Americans who recently travelled the country (see e.g.William Harvey’s blog) who came with aims like to “foster cross-cultural dialogue that improves relations between the U.S. and the rest of the world” have equally seen the country mainly from behind bullet proof glass and are then the ones who bring that feeling of danger back to the US, I believe that to visit the country in this way, and then present it to a wider public distorts our perception of the area and the wider problems we are dealing with. And based on this distorted perspectives, our public opinion (in democratic countries) decides on how to proceed in AfPak.

But Holbrooke himself brings it to the point, writing on Vietnam: “The terrible truth that people don’t like to admit was that the war was fun for young men, at least it was fun if they were civilians or journalists.” <<

Barnett Rubin

His recent articles definitely give important insights into the current problems.

According to Packer, Rubin acts as an independent contributor to Holbrookes team. He also has his own blog.

Rubin, Barnett R.; Afghan Dilemmas: Defining Commitments, The American Interest, May-June 2008 (accessed 19th September 2009)

Rubin, Barnett R.; Rashid, Ahmed; From Great Game to Grand Bargain; Foreign Affairs, November/December 2008

Rubin, Barnett R.; A Tribe apart; Boston Review

Vali Nasr

Nasr recently appeared on the Daily Show, unfortunately the interviews on the Show are seldom worth watching. Apart from that, the stuff he said wasn’t very convincing. He is equally bad, or probably even worse, at Colbert in April 2007, who is at least better in interviewing than Stewart.

A better insight is provided in an Interview from October 2002 at UCal. Forward to 28:00 for his insights on Pakistan, of which Nasr is considered to be an expert (oddly enough he is Iranian).

He was interviewed as an expert for a Frontline documentary on Iran (October 2007). As always a worthwhile watching PBS work. He gave an interview to them about Saudi influence on AfPakand one on the Shias and Karbala, both of which I haven’t read yet.

So far I haven’t read anything from him, so I am not entitled to voice further criticism. He is author of numerous books (Pakistan, Shiism)

Steve Berk

He is an agriculture expert from Florida with experience in Afghanistan. These guys have a nice website including a movie I wasn’t yet able to open.

Rina Amiri

Afghani by birth, she seems to be focusing on women’s issues. A statement in front of the the House Comittee on Foreign Affairs is available here.

Vikram Singh

He gives some opinion on WorldFocus, rather shallow common talk if you are already familiar with issue. He is one of many scholars with insight who misses the chance to give a good explanation on the Kashmir issue, many pundits seem reluctant to even try to give an explanation on that while leaning out the window in other issues that are equally tricky. Of course standing in Kashmir at the moment promises a lot less exciting stories with gun fire and crying children than the AfPak border. It would be of great help though if some pundits would try to get on with that issue. Political pressure should especially be put on the Pakistani government in that respect to get their involvement in the Mumbai attacks resolved and unravel the links between LeT, JuD and continuous border crossings of Pakistani fighters in Poonch/Southern Kashmir. Steve Coll has given some great insight on the Back Channel talks. Sorry for getting carried away.

Burton M. Field

An Air Force General who, I assume, writes little. Find his bio here.

Jared Cohen

Him, I would just throw in a bucket with Nicholas Schmidle, for whom I have little respect as a journalist or pundit. But that’s probably unjust, so I will need to read his book first.