New York Times publishes op-ed written by Taliban terrorist

The New York Times sank to a despicable new low this week when they published an op-ed from a known Taliban terrorist.

On Thursday, The Times published an op-ed by Sirajuddin Haqqani, describing him as “the deputy leader of the Taliban” instead of just flat-out saying that he is a terrorist. In a piece that was titled “What We, the Taliban, Want,” Haqqani claims that the Taliban “did not choose our war with the foreign coalition led by the United States,” ignoring the fact that the terrorist group gave Osama bin Laden a safe haven after he planned the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

It should be noted that Haqqani has been on the FBI’s most wanted list for years with a $5 million bounty on his head, according to the New York Post. Despite this, The New York Times has given him a platform to reach millions of people on what is supposed to be a “distinguished” publication, allowing his radically violent rhetoric.

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In his op-ed, Haqqani proposed “a new, inclusive political system in which the voice of every Afghan is reflected and where no Afghan feels excluded” under the Taliban. Of course, this does not include women or homosexuals, two groups that are notoriously discriminated against by radical Islamist groups.

“Here’s what girls and women historically can’t do under the Taliban: Go to school. Work. Go outside without wrapped head-to-toe in a burqa. Leave a husband who beats them,” the New York Post reported.

Haqqani’s past is extremely violent, even for a terrorist. In 2008, he was allegedly behind a bombing at an elementary school that killed multiple children. That same year, he helped plan an attack on the Serena Hotel in Kabul that killed six people, including one American.

Even Mujib Mushal, The Times‘ senior correspondent in Afghanistan, expressed disgust with the publication’s decision to run the op-ed.

“Siraj is no Taliban peacemaker as he paints himself,” Mashal tweeted. “He’s behind some of the most ruthless attacks of this war with many civilian lives lost.”

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

It really is appalling that The New York Times would decide to run an op-ed written by a murderous terrorist. The once-respected publication has ruined all their credibility, and I for one will not be reading them any longer.