Idrees Ahmad on Pakistan, Clinton, Drones, and US Policy in the Region

Talk Nation Radio for October 30, 2009

Idrees Ahmad on Pakistan, Clinton, Drones, and US Policy in the Region


TRT: 29:24
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Idrees Ahmad returned to his native Pakistan where he reported for Inter Press Service in an October 30, 2009 story 'The US in Pakistan's Mind: Nothing but Aversion'.

Pakistanis have viewed US policy with grave skepticism as US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton seeks to win 'hearts and minds' while promoting the unpopular US war on terror.

Idrees Ahmad joined us after returning to Glasgow, Scotland, where he is a student about to publish his PHD thesis as a book. You can find his story about Pakistan online at Inter Press Service News and look for a longer version at the start of November in Le Monde Diplomatique.

See: POLITICS: U.S. in Pakistan’s Mind: Nothing But Aversion
Analysis by Muhammad Idrees Ahmad
PESHAWAR, Pakistan, Oct 30 (IPS) – "To the west of Peshawar on the Jamrud Road that leads to the historic Khyber Pass sits the Karkhano Market, a series of shopping plazas whose usual offering of contraband is now supplemented by standard issue U.S. military equipment, including combat fatigues, night vision goggles, body armour and army knives".

"Beyond the market is a checkpoint, which separates the city from the semi-autonomous tribal region of Khyber. In the past, if one lingered near the barrier long enough, one was usually approached by someone from the far side selling hashish, alcohol, guns, or even rocket-propelled grenade launchers. These days such salesman could also be selling U.S. semi-automatics, sniper rifles and hand guns. Those who buy do it less for their quality-the AK-47 still remains the weapon of choice here-than as mementos of a dying Empire".

See also this portion of Ahmad's report: "Opinions were reinforced in favour of a military solution when militants launched a wave of terrorist attacks in anticipation of the Pakistani army’s new operation in FATA".

From the University of Strathclyde, Department of Geography and Sociology, Mohammed Idrees Ahmad. (Bio)

Mohammed Idrees Ahmad is co founder of Pulse Media and a member of Spinwatch. He writes about propaganda, Israel-Palestine conflict, Iraq war, and globalization, and his stories have appeared in Counterpunch, Dissident Voice, Atlantic Free Press, Electronic Intifada , Electronic Iraq and various print publications. His daily musings on politics, art and culture appear on his blog, The Fanonite.

For his PhD, Idrees is researching the role of lobbies, think tanks and foundations in furnishing the propaganda for the war in Iraq. He also produced a current affairs program on Glasgow community radio 87.7 FM.

Idrees is the former captain of the Edwardes College and the American University in Dubai tennis teams. He is also the winner of the 2004 University of Pittsburgh Jazz talent hunt in Dubai. His experimental website, The Savage Mountain won various awards for its innovative UI and programmatic 3D simulation.