"The Age of the Warrior": Robert Fisk on the U.S. Elections, Iraq, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Israel-Palestine

And the US strategy in Afghanistan is back in the news, just ahead of the Vice-Presidential debate tonight. The British ambassador to Afghanistan has been quoted in a French newspaper as saying that the American military strategy in that country is “destined to fail.” Ambassador Sherard Cowper-Coles’ critical comments about the NATO operation in Afghanistan were part of a leaked memo from a French diplomat. He also said: “The coalition presence–particularly the military presence–is part of the problem, not the solution.”

The British ambassador’s leaked statements were published just as the top US commander in Afghanistan called for 3 additional combat brigades, that is over 10,000 soldiers, to be immediately deployed to Kabul. General David McKiernan told reporters in Washington DC Wednesday that Americans were facing a ‘tough fight’ in Afghanistan that “might get worse before it gets better.”

As the US-led wars in the Middle East shows no sign of abating we turn now to a man who has chronicled eleven major wars in this part of the world. Robert Fisk is Britain’s most celebrated foreign correspondent and has borne witness to countless tragedies in the Middle East for over three decades.

Fisk has been named British Press Awards’ International Journalist of the Year seven times and is currently the Middle East correspondent for The Independent of London. His previous books include “Pity the Nation: The Abduction of Lebanon” and “The Great War for Civilization: The Conquest of the Middle East.” His latest is a collection of his essays from The Independent called “The Age of the Warrior.” Robert Fisk joins us now here in the firehouse studio.

Robert Fisk, best-selling author and journalist. He has reported from the Middle East for more than three decades and covered 11 major wars. He is one of the world’s most celebrated foreign correspondents and has been named British Press Awards’ International Journalist of the Year seven times. He is currently the Middle East correspondent for The Independent of London. His previous books include “Pity the Nation: The Abduction of Lebanon” and “The Great War for Civilization: The Conquest of the Middle East.” His latest is a collection of his essays from The Independent called “The Age of the Warrior.”

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