Barack Obama Talks to Anwar Iqbal – Uncut

Posted on July 16, 2009
Filed Under >Adil Najam, Foreign Relations, People, Politics
24 Comments
Total Views: 34601

Adil Najam

By now everyone has probably seen and commented already on U.S. President Barack Obama’s interview with Dawn’s Anwar Iqbal. But I thought this ‘uncut’ version of the interview is actually more interesting than the edited version (or clips) that we have seen.It tells us much more about how he personally feels about Pakistan – something that we had written about in depth here at ATP during his campaign.

I have known Anwar Iqbal ever since I was in high school (9th grade) in Islamabad and would sometimes write on sports (especially cricket statistics) and occasional ‘City Diaries’ for The Muslim and Anwar was a reporter on the city desk working with the legandary Ahmad Hassan saab (in many ways this blog’s design is an outgrowth of those City Diaries). He – and cartoonist Fieca, photographer B.K. Bangash, and later editors Mushahid Hussain and Maleeha Lodhi – were amongst the many at The Muslim who were immensely kind to me (then a schoolboy). I say all of this because Anwar is a dear friend and it was good to see him nab this interview.

Of course, most of us have also seen Jon Stewart’s funny take on the interview and of President Obama’s interst in Urdu and Pakistan. That, after all, is what Jon Stewart does and does better than anyone else, so one cannot fault the funny man for being funny.

There is much that I would have like President Obama to do (on Pakistan) that he has not done. I hope he eventually will. There is even more that I wish he would not do and stop doing (e.g., drone attacks). I hope he will soon stop. Frankly, I would much rather have someone in the White House who has a genuine affection for Pakistan, than someone who does not. I am not naieve enough to believe that personal affection will immediately translate to better policy. But it is much more likely to eventually do so thana lack of such affection!

24 responses to “Barack Obama Talks to Anwar Iqbal – Uncut”

  1. Perdesi says:

    Cool videos. Very different type of interview.

  2. Sherry says:

    Interview was interesting even for those who are not interested in politics.I hope Obama can do all he wished for Pakistan, especially helping those young people who want to come to USA to study and to work so that they can support their families back home.After 9/11 innocent people suffered badly.

  3. Tehmina says:

    It was a great interview and I am very proud of Mr. Anwar Iqbal the way he conducted it.. Though it was a very polite interview but it had to be conducted that way as President himself started it in a soft tone,talking affectionately about pakistan.You don’t need to throw stones on someone who is extending his arms to embrace you.

  4. Khalid says:

    I had read the text before but watching the interview was great (both parts). It was a great interview. Obama was warm and confident as expected, but Anwar Iqbal conducted the interview very professionally as an expert, touching all the important sensitive points plus some light touches, as well.

  5. Desi Munda says:

    Medicine

    Sorry Watan-e-Aziz Saheb: I think the interviewer did not go to Acheson, Karachi Grammar or Lawrence College. Like many of us, he is from a

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