1. On Sep 11, I was watching horrific visuals of World Trade Center burning (the towers were still standing). I immediately spoke to a close friend who was also a news buff and we felt it was the work of Osama Bin Laden. This when nearly all TV channels were blaming Hamas for it.

2. I could guess it was Osama because I had read about him in India. If I remember it correct, it was India Today that had carried a cover story on his promise to carry holy jihad in Kashmir, all this much before 911 happened. In short, I could guess what West could not.

3. Which is why I always insist news reporting is more valuable from local and regional people. They understand regional politics much better. A common complaint against western media is that they become an authority on South Asian politics when they should not.

4. Post 911, CNN had flown Christian Amanpour to India Pakistan border and she used to talk crap. After living in USA for than a decade, I cannot get cultural nuance of Michigan right. So how can Amanpour get geopolitics of India Pak right ? Something to ponder

Trust local and regional wisdom, regional knowledge of the local when covering news and social science subjects. There is an arrogance among the elite that they can speak for anyone. No you cannot because the locals know it better.