Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iran have extensive historical and cultural links. Peoples, languages, music, and food spill over borders. The U.S. is deeply involved in all three nations. It has occupied Afghanistan since October, 2001. It's pulled Pervez Musharraf, Pakistan's military dictator and former patron of jihadi groups, into its orbit. In Iran, U.S. saber-rattling raises the prospect of yet another war in the region. In the corporate media indigenous voices are rarely heard. Rather, putative experts from think tanks, many of whom have not been to those countries or speak the languages, are regularly called upon to give their opinions. The result? A massive amount of distorted information and ignorance about three important countries.

Ahmed Rashid, based in Lahore, is one of Pakistan's leading journalists. His articles appear in prominent newspapers all over the world. He is the author of the international bestsellers Taliban and Jihad.

Ervand Abrahamian, born in Iran, is professor of Middle Eastern history at Baruch College in New York. He's the author of Khomeinism and co-author of Inventing the Axis of Evil.