Eric Margolis, A Middle East expert?

He was on CBC news today talking with Peter Mansbridge as a Middle expert throwing his 2 cents on who ever cared to lsiten. After listening to what he said, I had a revelation that I too can be an expert on Mongolian culture, if I shout at top of my lungs claiming to be one, around the newspapers' offices.

This is what he said "There are elements in Washington and Israel who want to show who is the boss to Syria and Iran". Wow CBC, can we now officially call a conspiracy theory nut as an expert?

What are his credentials?

Quoting from Amithabh Mattoo's review of his book "Jihadi Journalese"

where his friends include the Pakistan intelligence chief, Lt. General Javed Nasser. His antics apparently provoked the Afghan government enough for President Najibullah to put a price on his head. Consider Margolis' colourful descriptions of the Mujhaideen: "These were the soldiers of Allah, the bravest men on earth... They feared no man and certainly not death. Each man believed that Allah stood at his right shoulder; Allah who was all-merciful, in spite of the cruel world that He had inexplicably created; Allah would carry him to his final rest as a parent would wrap a sleepy child in his arms and take him off to bed."

So a Hippie joining a Jihadi operation now be an expert on it? Doesn't the tag of expert come with the responsibility of being neutral? He is nothing but neutral, I found his another article which is very biased. This is what he has to say about the brutal Pakistani incursion into Indian Kashmir in spring of 2000.

Pakistan staged the operation to internationalize the Kashmir issue, which was fading into obscurity at a time when brutal Indian repression was threatening to extinguish the uprising

So, a brutal incursion into Indian Kashmir and killing in cold blood can be justified for bringing back an issue into the front pages? Should I go now and call Shenanigans?

CBC, couldn't you find anyone more competent that Mr. Margolis, who wears these really colourful glasses, which sure cloud his worldview?

Do listen to his justification on why Hezbollah kidnapped Israeli soldiers:

Hezbollah's leader, Sheik Hussein Nasrallah, made clear his attacks were to support the embattled Palestinians in Gaza, who have been ravaged by Israeli air, land, and sea attacks after militants kidnapped an Israeli soldier.

Amazing sir, is this how friends help friends help in your world? Say if I were your friend and get into trouble by abusing drugs, you would support me by doing more drugs?

Why do we Canadians regard this advocate of violence as an expert on a region, whose main problem is senseless violence?

CBC, I always regarded you as one of the balanced sources of news and opinion, I am deeply disturbed by the fact that you had a partisan masquerading as a neutral authority. All I hope is that your programming mangers know his background.