(Video) As the world follows the violence and unrest in Pakistan, Bill Moyers speaks with historian Juan Cole and journalist Shahan Mufti about how the US's relationship with the troubled nation will impact prospects for peace, human rights, and democracy in the war-torn region. Full Story »
Posted by Fabrice Florin
Great interview by Bill Moyers with journalist Shahan Mufti and historian Juan Cole about Pakistan's s fight against the Taliban. They provide important context on this conflict -- and a more optimistic view than U.S. officials and news media. They cite factual evidence to suggest that the media has exaggerated the threat posed by a small group of Taliban fighters in a nation of over 160 million people that generally oppose them -- pointing to the rise of civil society in Pakistan.
Cole and Mufti articulate a particular narrative about the situation in Pakistan. In their minds, the Taliban threat has been over-exaggerated by the American media. They bring considerable expertise and experience to their perspectives, but this interview suffers from a lack of balance.
Shahan makes a important point about the media's limited access to war information in Pakistan. The media is over-reliant on the Pakistani Army for information on the conflict.
SHAHAN MUFTI: I think you’re right on. And I think it’s problematic because this really harks back to the ... More »
Retrieving Comments
