Small Wars Journal

New York Times Slammed for Taliban Leader Op-Ed: 'Feels Like a Leaflet Flyover'

Fri, 02/21/2020 - 11:27am

New York Times Slammed for Taliban Leader Op-Ed: 'Feels Like a Leaflet Flyover' by Brian Flood – Fox News

The New York Times is being criticized by many, including its own Afghanistan correspondent, after publishing an opinion piece Thursday by the deputy leader of the Taliban, who is wanted by the U.S. government.

The opinion piece, headlined "What We, the Taliban, Want," was written by Sirajuddin Haqqani as the Trump administration is hoping to reach a peace deal with the Taliban that would end America's longest war and begin the withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan.

The Taliban said Monday a deal could be signed by the end of February…

The lengthy column goes on to detail Haqqani’s claims, including that he doesn’t trust the United States and that an agreement would allow Afghans to “start moving toward lasting peace" and live with dignity.

New York Times senior correspondent in Afghanistan Mujib Mashal blasted his employer on Twitter.

"The piece by Siraj Haqqani in @nytopinion- which's independent of our news operations & judgment - omits the most fundamental fact: that Siraj is no Taliban peace-maker as he paints himself, that he's behind some of most ruthless attacks of this war with many civilian lives lost,” Mashal wrote before sharing links to several Times reports showing what Haqqani’s group has been accused of over the years…

Read on.