The New York Times in an editorial on Friday criticized Afghans for “violent rampages” in response to the burning of Korans by U.S. forces. The Times says their anger is “understandable”, but
We wish the Afghans now denouncing Americans as their enemies recognized the huge sacrifices made by the vast majority of American soldiers. A decade later, some Afghans seem to have forgotten the horrors of Taliban repression and the high price Americans have paid defending them. Mr. Karzai should remind them of that, too.
Perhaps instead of lecturing the people of Afghanistan–who surely need no reminding of the horrors that have been inflicted upon them–to recognize the benevolence of the U.S.–which has played no small role in inflicting horrors upon these same people–the New York Times should listen to them. Perhaps if the Times editors did less lecturing and more listening, they would understand how phenomenally arrogant, ignorant, and self-righteous they were being.
