On Thursday, the New York Times published an op-ed by Sirajuddin Haqqani under the headline, “What We, the Taliban, Want.” In his op-ed, Haqqani wrote, “I am convinced that the killing and the maiming must stop.”
The Times described Haqqani as “the deputy leader of the Taliban.” But this bland descriptor doesn’t capture who Haqqani really is. According to the FBI, Haqqani is a “specially designated global terrorist.” The FBI is offering $5 million for information leading directly to his arrest.
The US State Department is also offering a reward of up to $10 million for information that brings Haqqani to justice. The only terrorist who has a higher reward is the current leader of al Qaeda, Ayman al-Zawahiri. Will the Times be offering Zawahiri an op-ed spot next?