Afghanistan: America’s “Good War”
The Obama Administration is turning the focus from Iraq to Afghanistan because that’s where the terror problem exists but is Afghanistan the next Vietnam for the US? Eight years of war in Afghanistan has kept the US military wrapped up in a war that many experts say will be lost. The Soviets lost, the British lost and now the US and its allies are stepping up the operation with manpower and money but is it worth the effort? Fariba analyzes the US involvement in Afghanistan historically and discusses the successes and failures of the last eight years. She offers a strategy to avoid another Vietnam. Afghanistan and Iraq: Big Money for Bad Work
How American contractors are profiteering from war. Companies like Halliburton, Blackwater and the Louis Berger Group are making millions from American taxpayers’ money under the guise of reconstruction and peace building in war-torn countries. What they’re offering in return to these countries are roads that fall apart before they are used, blatant fraud and slave labour. Fariba talks about the inherent problems of how donor nations deliver aid to conflict zones and examines ways to improve that system.
Afghanistan: Running on Opium
How the billion dollar business contributes to international terrorism and hinders peace in the country. Drawing from her six years of research on narcotics in Afghanistan, Fariba talks about the impact of the opium industry in the country, its neighbours and the West. She shares how she developed relationships with drug dealers, opium brides and corrupt government officials who are in charge of the country’s affairs. She followed the poppy trail from the farmers who plant it to the traffickers who smuggle the drug and addicts who consume it, unravelling the mysteries of the trade. This research led to the book she is writing for HarperCollins.
Muslim Women and the West: What the West Doesn’t Know
Fariba scrutinizes the various feminist movements in the Muslim world and the Islamic diaspora and how women in each region and country have their own interpretation and understanding of Islam and their role in society. Her case studies include Afghanistan, Iran, Egypt and Pakistan and the United States.
Growing Up a Refugee in America: Immigrant Success Stories
Fariba shares her own story of growing up an Afghan refugee in California and how she developed from a shy 10-year-old who could only say “thank you” in English to become a successful freelance journalist and writer in the language. She challenges stereotypes of immigrant life in the US and probes the controversial subject of how culture and values contribute to advancement in the US. She also inspects how cultural diversity plays a role in immigrant success.
Unreliable Sources: How the Western Media Covers the Islamic World
The late scholar Edward Said documented the bias of mainstream Western media’s reporting on the Islamic world in his book Covering Islam. Fariba will update and expand on his theories of how misconceptions the media spreads about Islamic communities have led to mistrust and misunderstandings between the West and Muslims. She recommends tools for more accurate and fair coverage of the regions she has reported on for the last 12 years.
