New York Times reports David Rohde was held captive for seven months. He was taken captive in Afghanistan and then moved to Pakistan. He presents an excellent video report of his experience as a kidnapped victim. Most intriguingly he dissects the myths and paradoxes presented by his captors. His report provides insights into the beliefs fueling some of the conflicts originating in the tribal boarder lands.

The five part series may be found here: http://projects.nytimes.com/held-by-the-taliban/#intro

What can we learn from the person who has been on the scene? How do we find this first person account more often as part of our understanding of an issue? What value does it offer to your perceptions of the events in Afghanistan and Pakistan?