The New York Times has done it again and gave a personal platform to terrorists. But, this time a Republican Congresswoman and a member of their own new desk hit back.
Over the past several months the Washington Post and the New York Times have given sympathy to some of the worst members of society.
On Thursday the New York Times published an op-ed written by Sirajuddin Haqqani, a deputy leader of the Taliban, titled: “What We, The Taliban, Want.” Haqqani painted himself as this great peacemaker. Haqqani is the leader of the Haqqani Network and has been responsible for some of the worst attacks in Afghanistan.
Congresswoman Liz Cheney ripped the Times for giving a man like Haqqani a platform. She wrote, “I have some questions for @nytimes since they decided to give the Taliban a forum to spew garbage, like, ‘We did not choose our war…We were forced to defend ourselves.’ 1. Remember 9/11? 2. The author is a designated global terrorist. Did you pay him for this piece?”
I have some questions for @nytimes since they decided to give the Taliban a forum to spew garbage, like, “We did not choose our war…We were forced to defend ourselves.”
1. Remember 9/11?
2. The author is a designated global terrorist. Did you pay him for this piece?
— Liz Cheney (@Liz_Cheney) February 20, 2020
Even the New York Times senior correspondent in Afghanistan, Mujib Mashal, ripped the op-ed and how the organization portrayed itself. Mashal also threw the New York Times Opinion division under the bus, and I’m glad he did.
“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,” he tweeted.
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
— Mujib Mashal (@MujMash) February 20, 2020
Mashal then posted numerous articles the New York Times news desk has written about the atrocities the Haqqani Network has committed throughout the years. He then even requested that others contact the New York Times opinion desk and express their opinions.
And to know what our @nytimes news reporting has on Siraj Haqqqani, and what the Haqqani Network is accused of over the years, just read our years and years of reporting. Some samples:https://t.co/CW0k9I7Il1https://t.co/DcTDVtro8zhttps://t.co/p1MURtNXNF https://t.co/jktbWgmHCG
— Mujib Mashal (@MujMash) February 20, 2020
I know people have strong views on this. Sorry, I can’t answer. But, as the bottom of the piece says, our Opinion editors appreciate hearing from, and are “committed to publishing a diversity of letters”. So feel free to write to them: [email protected]. https://t.co/jktbWgmHCG
— Mujib Mashal (@MujMash) February 20, 2020
And I just might do this.
