James Bays

James Bays's picture
James Bays
Roving Correspondent | Qatar
Biography

James Bays, is an award-winning correspondent, who has travelled to more than 70 counties and has reported from numerous conflict zones, including Iraq, Congo, Sierra Leone, Lebanon, Bosnia, Kosovo, Afghanistan, Panama, the former Soviet Union, Israel and the Palestinian territories.

As a roving correspondent, James frequently reports from Baghdad and Kabul. He filed reports for Al Jazeera following Taliban fighters in southern Afghanistan, which later took second prize in the Best TV Item category at the Monte Carlo Television Festival in 2008 and was nominated for a Royal Television Society award.

Latest posts by James Bays

By James Bays in Africa on August 24th, 2011

I don't really like to make too many comparisons. Every country is different and so are the political dynamics behind every conflict. 

But as I report events from Tripoli live on Al Jazeera, I can not help recalling the events of April 2003. 

I had spent a month in the Palestine Hotel, as Baghdad was bombarded from the air. My thoughts are with my friends and colleagues now being held in Tripoli's Rixos hotel, which has become one of the flashpoints in this latest conflict.

In Iraq in 2003, so many mistakes were made. Thousands of ordinary Iraqis, government officials as well as security and military personnel, were alienated and then excluded from the political process.

This time, there is one very big difference: there is no foreign invading army.

But the NTC of Libya still face a difficult balancing act.

Tags: Libya
By James Bays in Asia on June 9th, 2010
Picture from AFP

Everyone in Kabul is still talking about the sudden departures of Interior Minister Mohammed Hanif Atmar and Intelligence chief Amrullah Saleh.

These men, two out of the three most senior security ministers in the Karzai cabinet, were among the officials most trusted by the Americans and their allies.

The focus now is on who will replace them and how long it will take.

The two posts are absolutely key to the success or failure of the Obama strategy in Afghanistan.

By James Bays in Asia on June 4th, 2010
Photo from Reuters

Over the last two days, the Jirga members were divided into 28 committees and asked to discuss the way forward towards peace in Afghanistan.

Each of the chairmen of those committees have now been giving a summary of their decisions in the main tent of the Jirga.

Some of the proposals match the way forward that the Afghan government and international players want to take.

But some of the proposals will cause alarm in international circles.

Many talked about new measures to tackle corruption.

Others focused on the UN blacklist – the list of Taliban senior members subject to financial and travel restrictions.

They want names taken off that list, as an inducement to the Taliban side, something the international community may agree to.

But other proposals will almost certainly not be acceptable to America and its allies.

Many said they want Taliban prisoners released – with Guantanamo, Bagram and other jails closed.

By James Bays in Asia on June 3rd, 2010
AFP photo

More than 1500 community leaders and tribal elders continue to meet in a large tent on the edge of Kabul. The peace jirga, called by president Hamid Karzai, is aimed at trying to push forward the peace process by exploring ways of encouraging Taliban fighters (and possibly their leaders) to renounce violence.

The tribal leaders have now divided into 28 committees, but all are examining the same issues in parallel. The 28 conclusions will then be examined to create an agenda for a full session on Friday.

Critics say the agenda is being tightly controlled, and it is clear that the government already have a detailed peace plan, which they would like to put in place.

The plan, drawn up by Karzai’s internal affairs adviser Masoom Stanikzai, was taken by President Karzai to Washington DC last month; the Obama administration reviewed and accepted the document. NATO and the UN are also pleased with the draft.

By James Bays in Europe on May 8th, 2010
Photo from AFP

Once again, the volcanic ash cloud is causing serious disruption. This time, I was caught in the chaos.

Even though flights from Heathrow, where I had been covering the UK election, were not grounded, the Icelandic volcano was ruining holidays and business trips.

My flight, the Virgin Atlantic VS21 to Washington DC, is a good example of how the delays stack up.

We boarded late, because the incoming aircraft arrived behind schedule. This is because all transatlantic flights are flying around the cloud, increasing flight times.

But then there were more surprises.

With Spanish airspace closed, the new route over northern Europe is nine hours and 40 minutes, rather than eight hours and 10 minutes.

This means the plane needs to be loaded with extra fuel, and regulations insist that an extra (third) pilot is in the cabin.

Tags: UK
By James Bays in Asia on April 25th, 2010

Our most recent video report from Afghanistan covered the Taliban plots to attack Kabul, which the Afghan government says it has thwarted:

A number of different agencies are involved in these operations.

We filmed at one specialist police headquarters in the capital.

As Al Jazeera reported last year, the Counter Terrorism Police (CTP) suffered a spate of resignations after the presidential elections, because of allegations of political interference.

This unit, an elite force mentored by the New Zealand special forces, is easy to spot. All its men wear black uniforms. Their police cars are also painted black.

By James Bays in Americas, Asia on April 20th, 2010
Photo by Reuters

Richard Holbrooke, the US special representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan held a briefing in Washington DC, and gave reporters some important dates for their diary:

"President Karzai will be here May 10th, 11th, 12th, 13th, and leave on the 14th. He will bring with him a large number of his senior cabinet officials, two of whom P.J. just mentioned, both of whom I’ve met with in the last three or four days. He will be here, of course, as you know, at the invitation of President Obama. We are going to make this a major trip in the strengthening of our relations between us and the government of Afghanistan."

 

By James Bays in Asia on April 19th, 2010
AFP photo

In recent days, a deal has finally done between the international community and the Karzai government on the forthcoming parliamentary elections.

The agreement means a clash between parliament, the president and the international powers has been avoided - for now.

Part of the framework for the parliamentary elections, due to be held on September 18th, has been finalised. It goes some way to clarify the rules for this year's poll.

Earlier in the year, the Afghan president had issued a binding decree, which angered both the international community and many Afghan MPs.

It appeared to remove the three international members of the five-person Election Complaints Commission, in effect the "court of appeal" for the electoral process.

Audit of votes

By James Bays in Asia on March 8th, 2010
Picture from AFP

 With 43 nations serving in the Nato’s International Security Assistance Force, foreign leaders visit this city every single week .

The latest arrival, the US Defence Secretary Robert Gates will be doing the normal tour of military and diplomatic engagements, including a meeting with Afghan President Hamid Karzai.

We hear rumours that one of the next VIPs in town will be the leader of one of Afghanistan’s neighbours, President Ahmadinejad of Iran.

At the weekend, the British prime minister Gordon Brown was visiting his forces in Helmand.

But one leader is becoming conspicuous by his absence. Barack Obama has only been to Kabul once, as a presidential candidate in 2008.

By James Bays in Asia on February 22nd, 2010
Photo from AFP

Once again, a Nato attack has left many civilians dead.

The Afghan cabinet, after a meeting in the Presidential palace in Kabul, issued a statement saying that 27 civilians, included women and children had been killed.

The statement called the deaths "unjustifiable."

The military believed the three vehicle convoy in the remote mountains of Uruzgan province was carrying Taliban reinforcements. The order was given to strike them. The timing could not have been worse for NATO and US Commander General Stanley McChrystal.

Operation Moshtarak, the largest military offensive in Afghanistan since 2001 was supposed to be NATO's chance to retake the initiative in this troubled country, where the Taliban have been gaining ground in recent years. It is not just about gaining territory on the battlefield. Commanders know the more important goal is winning over ordinary Afghans.

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Biography

James Bays's picture
James Bays
Roving Correspondent
James Bays, an award-winning correspondent, has covered conflicts from the Congo to Kabul.

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