New York Times Reports Half The Story in Afghanistan

Posted May 15th, 2009 at 5.07pm in Ongoing Priorities.

On today’s front page, the New York Times goes to every effort to recreate the narrative of Mai-Lai in Vietnam, only this time in Afghanistan. Unfortunately, they do so with only half the story. This much we think we know: One night last week, American forces in the middle of a drawn out battle with insurgent Taliban forces, launched an aerial attack on enemy targets. It appears many civilians were killed during the battle.

Here is what we, and the New York Times, do not know: We do not know if Taliban forces manipulated the battle to achieve this exact public relations result, knowing they have no regard for the Afghan people. Or what targets the Taliban bombed themselves. We do not know at what point Taliban fighters left the area, if they left at all. And we do not know the specific intelligence that led to this assault.

Recreating a Mai-Lai type scenario allows the Times to paint the worst possible picture of our efforts against terror in Afghanistan and support their editorial page. America has been an extraordinary partner to the people of Afghanistan since we first engaged the nation in 2002 to fight a terrorism supporting Taliban regime. Schools, roads, infrastructure and liberty have been our chief exports to the region.

We encourage all sides of this issue to think carefully before drawing unfortunate conclusions on the men and women who bravely and proudly serve our country in extraordinary situations behind enemy lines. The loss of innocent civilian lives is a tragedy for all, but it may have been a tragedy that the Taliban deliberately created. We know the Taliban play with civilian lives for their own propaganda while coalition forces take every caution to avoid civilian casualties. When all information is available, reasonable people can draw reasonable assumptions. But until then, the Times should use more caution in their reporting.

Author: Rory Cooper
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8 Comments

May 15, 2009 jr., Michigan writes:

ya, i’d REALLY believe the mental-midgets at the ny times. har-har-har.

May 15, 2009 Spiritof76, New Hampshire writes:

It is about time that we shut down NYT as it represents security threat to the US. They are reckless and deliberately write false reports to damage our troops. Isn’t that what our enemies do?

May 15, 2009 Barb -mn writes:

We all know the negative words terror, terrorism and terrorist are the weakest acts of humanity. The meanings are technically personal choices to carry out and the most dangerous to humanity. What good, solid, honest, news media (of any type) would report, is any and all that is positive. but for some reason…
…I’ll stick with fox, if any. And one other of another kind.

Thank you to our troops for making the positive possible for the people.

May 16, 2009 James Raider writes:

QUIT AFGHANISTAN – But not easily

POPPY FIELDS OF MASS DESTRUCTION —- TIME TO AWAKEN

The beautiful and delicate poppy that now paints the landscapes of Afghanistan with vibrant colors, has long been the symbol for sacrifice. The aesthetic is as soothing to the sense of sight, as it is exasperating to the conscience.

http://pacificgatepost.blogspot.com/2008/04/poppy-fields-of-mass-destruction.html

Drastic action is required.

May 16, 2009 Joe Turner, Indianapolis, IN writes:

One has to wonder if the New York Times is feeling the inevitable suction of its death as a newspaper into the sewer of has-beens. Maybe they should belly-up to become less political and more conservative. That would be a much more sensational and marketable posture. In these times (no pun intended) the readership may actually buy their product!

May 16, 2009 David VanNorman Wind Ridge Pa. writes:

The people at the Times print all the news that shows the story they want to tell not what thwe facts are. They are not reporting news they invent it.

May 16, 2009 Cliff Fleming, Hoover, AL writes:

The logo of the NYT reads ‘All the news that is fit to print’. They have drifted 180 degrees from that mission statement. They are totally irresponsible in their reporting of the news.
We all complain about this , but money talks. I have been lodging complaints with stores that I purchase goods and services that carry the NYT. We need to tell store managers and hotel managers that we will not purchase any more goods and services from their store if they continue to carry the NYT since it is a publication that is in the gutter and they shouldn’t carry it. Money talks. We can hurt the NYT by shutting off their funds and income by voting with our pocketbooks and encouraging others to do so.

May 17, 2009 From the Conservative Net « America, You Asked For It! writes:

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