Alan Fisher

Alan Fisher's picture
Alan Fisher
Roving Correspondent | United Kingdom
Biography

Alan Fisher is an experienced, award-winning correspondent whose career in television stretches back more than 25 years. In his role with Al Jazeera English, he's reported from across the world. He was a frontline correspondent during Georgia's war with Russia in August 2008 and came under sustained fire while reporting on US army operations in Afghanistan.

Latest posts by Alan Fisher

By Alan Fisher in Americas on March 28th, 2012

The word most critics use about Newt Gingrich is arrogant.

The former Speaker of the US House of Representatives wears the label easily.

The self appointed "best debater in the Republican Party" believes he has an exceptional mind, is able to think big and is the best qualified man around at the moment to be President of the United States.

His run at the nomination hasn't been simple. He launched his campaign last summer and then lost most of his senior campaign staff, who thought that while he was off enjoying a Greek cruise with his wife, perhaps he wasn't fully committed to winning.

Strong debate performances helped throw him to the front of the Republican field.  He could boast two certain qualifications to the party faithful: he was a conservative and he wasn't Mitt Romney.  

With little financial backing, the free TV exposure of the debates also helped him enormously.  

By Alan Fisher in Americas on March 28th, 2012
[Photo: AFP]

Presidential hopeful Rick Santorum won’t lose any core supporters for letting loose during a fiery run-in with a New York Times reporter. Seen by many on the right as the flagship of the ‘lamestream media’, they will be delighted he attacked the Times, even if he did swear during the exchange and it was caught by TV cameras.

It is, however, a sign that the pressure is getting to the former Pennsylvania senator. He has won a few primaries and caucuses, but he is way behind in the delegate count, way behind in the number of votes cast and way behind in endorsements from senior figures in the Republican party.

By Alan Fisher in Americas on March 21st, 2012
Photo by Reuters

After spending billions to help the Taliban beat the Russians, America famously decided it was "game over" in Afghanistan and it no longer needed to pour money into the country.

Former Texas Congressman Charlie Wilson, who had led the drive to fund Russia's enemies thought the Soviet withdrawal, presented a golden opportunity. But his idea of funding education in a largely illiterate nation gained no support; it was too expensive.

The Soviets, having lost huge sums of money and large numbers of soldiers fighting what, for them, became an un-winnable war, got out of Afghanistan in a hurry leaving behind a hugely under-resourced government.

The country collapsed into another bloody civil war. The Taliban triumphed with the help of foreign fighters and money and soon became home to al-Qaeda.

Now, 10 years in, the US is convinced the longest war in its history has damaged the Taliban and virtually routed al-Qaeda.

By Alan Fisher in Americas on March 15th, 2012
Photo by Reuters

 

Rick Santorum had a good night on Tuesday. Two wins in deeply Republican southern states helped cement the idea that the battle for the Republican Party’s Presidential race is now a two-man contest between him and Mitt Romney.

Newt Gingrich pinned his hopes on a southern strategy. He won South Carolina early in the nominating process, then secured a victory in his home state of Georgia. As the only candidate from the south in this battle, failure to win in his own backyard in Alabama and Mississippi has left him a deeply damaged candidate.

By Alan Fisher in Americas on March 5th, 2012
Republican candidate Mitt Romney is hoping to widen his lead in the race for his party's nomination on Tuesday [Reuters]

It should be no surprise some Republicans are talking about a brokered convention in Tampa in August.  Many harbour the hope a new candidate will emerge in the next few weeks and will be anointed the chosen one, replacing the four men who are now pursing the nomination.

The party looks at the current economic climate, the high price of gas, the unemployment figures and believes Barack Obama could be a one term President.  The problem is at the moment, they don’t seem to be able to agree on who can beat him.

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By Alan Fisher in Asia on February 28th, 2012
AFP photo

Five years ago, deep in the south west of Germany, I was taken to see American troops prepare for Afghanistan.  

Based in a massive training area which stretched for miles, a long way from the nearest towns, makeshift villages were built, native speakers of Afghanistan's two main languages [Dari and Pashto] were imported to give the soldiers an idea of what may lie ahead when they were finally told to ship out.

An important part of the set-up is sensitivity training; learning to talk with village elders, to address them properly and learn the ways and customs of a people who, by and large, simply want to get on with their lives.

The young soldiers I was with thought it was a good idea and applied themselves diligently to watch and learn, wisely recognising if the locals liked them and even respected them then there was less chance of coming under attack, less chance of them or their buddies leaving Afghanistan dead.

Serious missteps

By Alan Fisher in Americas on February 15th, 2012
AFP photo

Political symbolism is important.

It's why US politicians are frequently pictured in front of a flag.

It's why the faces in the crowd at rallies are always mixed.

It's why Mitt Romney ditched his suit jackets of four years ago when he was campaigning for President and now bounds onto the stage in check shirts and chinos or jeans.

It's all about making the multi-millionaire "more normal", more like the people he needs to elect him president.

The other Republican candidates do it too.

Ron Paul, the oldest man in the race, packs his rally with young people to reflect his appeal to a different generation.

Newt Gingrich is more often than not pictured in a suit and a tie.

It may be because he looks odd in casual clothes - a bit like seeing one of your teachers at the weekend - but it is more to carry the air of gravitas, to emphasis his belief he is the smartest man in the race.

Trump's theories

By Alan Fisher in Americas on January 30th, 2012
Supporters of Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich cheer as he arrives at a rally in Florida [Reuters]

The Florida primary is always an important point in the presidential nomination process in the US.  But after Newt Gingrich’s surprising turnaround win in South Carolina, it now takes on added significance.

It is here – in what will be a key battleground state in November’s general election – that the sudden emergence of the former speaker of the US House of Representatives as a genuine contender may be validated. Or it will be where Mitt Romney will try to rebuild the aura of inevitability around his nomination, which was so dramatically punctured just a week ago.

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By Alan Fisher in Americas on January 27th, 2012
Republican presidential candidate Gingrich, left, reaches to shake hands with fellow candidate Romney [Reuters]

There have been 19 televised Republican debates. They have been boring in parts, and repetitive, with the same old arguments and lines trotted out again and again. But they have been hugely significant in shaping the battle for the nomination.

Most people don't follow the day to day movements of every campaign, and so the debates become the touchstone, the place where people tune in, sit back and make their judgements. Here strengths and weaknesses are exposed and campaigns are strengthened or diminished as a result.

Texas Governor Rick Perry was a Republican front-runner, a favourite with the right of the party and a good campaigner. But his candidacy unravelled in 53 seconds during a debate where he stammered and stumbled as he tried to recall the third government department he would close down. 

By Alan Fisher in Europe on January 26th, 2012
Scotland's First Minister Alex Salmond holds a copy of the plans for consultation for a referendum on independence [Reuters]

 

Alex Salmond is as smart a political operator as they come.

His choice of January 25th - when Scots around the world celebrate the birthday of national bard, Robert Burns - to take the first steps towards an independence referendum was not coincidental.

Nor is the proposed date of the vote, autumn 2014, the 700th anniversary of a famous Scottish victory over English forces at Bannockburn. It's a battle commemorated in a song sung before most Scottish sporting events, recalling how the Scots sent King Edward and his army 'home tae think again". 

Since Salmond's Scottish National Party was founded 80 years ago, its goal has been the break up of the UK with the establishment of a sovereign independent state.

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Biography

Alan Fisher's picture
Alan Fisher
Roving Correspondent
Alan Fisher is an award-winning correspondent who has reported from across the world.

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