New York Times "Paid Millions" To Release David Rohde From Taliban: Reporter

War correspondent Michael Yon, currently in Afghanistan, reports on his Twitter that, according to his sources, the New York Times and its associates paid millions of dollars to secure the release of reporter David Rohde from Taliban capture.

# Kept it all quiet for NYT. Now why are the NYT endangering British hostages in Somalia? NYT needs to shut up. They are endangering British.3:59 AM Nov 1st from web

#I have been told by very close sources that ex-CIA officers helped pay off release for Rohde. I knew this while it was ongoing.3:56 AM Nov 1st from web

#NYT is endangering the hostages in Somalia.3:54 AM Nov 1st from web

#Am told by good sources Rohde is good guy, but still NYT cannot ask for discretion when they don't use it.3:53 AM Nov 1st from web

# Numerous very well placed sources have told me New York Times/associates paid millions to get Rohde release.3:52 AM Nov 1st from web

#New York Times cannot expect quiet about David Rohde when they blab all: http://www.nytimes.com/2009... 3:51 AM Nov 1st from web

It was reported in June that Rohde had "escaped" from the Taliban after seven months in captivity.

Yon is a former Green Beret who has been reporting from Iraq and Afghanistan since 2004. His website describes him as "the premier independent combat journalist of his generation" and his work has appeared on ABC's "Good Morning America," in The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times, and on CNN, ABC, and FOX.

In June, ABC News reported that the Taliban had initially requested $25 million for Rohde's release, but NYT executive editor Bill Keller told ABC's "This Week" that "no ransom was paid."

According to the ABC report, there was a discussion at the time on whether to pay a ransom for Rohde:

People familiar with the case say there were heated and contentious debates in The New York Times executive offices on the issue, with some of Rohde's colleagues arguing no ransom should be paid for fear it could set a precedent.

"They didn't want to turn every New York Times reporter into an ATM machine for terrorists," said one of the people who was apprised of the discussions.

Comments

[adamfeser]

So Rohde gets captured and endures captivity for several months and now he's called out as a liar because this person claims to have good sources? Why is it that he "escaped"? He escaped.

[WinterParkMom]

If and only IF this is true, the decision makers need to be brought up on treason charges for aiding and abetting the enemy. Or financing a terrorist organization, you know like the arab charity which was accused of the same thing with NO proof during the bush years.

[Durango]

Upon further reflection: It is remarkable how many people will accept as Gospel any story that comes down the pike.

i would say what ever happened to critical thinking skills in America if it were not for PT Barnum and Abraham lincoln. Even now you Can fool some of the people ALL of the time.

I have never heard of this "reporter" before. So it is difficult to judge his credibility. However, if his website does say he is the "Greatest independent journalist alive" that is several strikes against him.

And the story coming over Twitter? Who is this, Roland Hedley? Is this something Gary Trudeau is making up. Because it certainly sounds exactly like what ran in todays newspaper.

But finally: $25 million?

Nah. A couple million, sure I could believe that. The NYT might even have that much in insurance.

But $25 million?

No way.

How do I know? My unnamed sources in the CIA told me so.

[Horst]

The Times is going belly up...they couldn't afford 25 million...

[EightIsTooMuch]

A few millions of ransom paid will buy these terrorists ammunition that will cause the deaths of many US troops.

[troop]

Take it from someone who's been to Afghanistan and Iraq, and seen hacks of all stripes in action: Ex-soldier­-with-sepa­ration-anx­iety Michael Yon is to "war correspondent' as actor Sean Penn is to "foreign correspondent." Yon's tiresome schtick is to embed with every conceivable army in-theater. He churns out self-aggrandizing, hairy-chested dispatches -- think Sgt. Rock comic books --in which Michael Yon usually stars as the courageous reporter. (Just take a look at his site, and try to find a story in which he doesn't appear.) He rarely ventures outside the wire to talk with civilians, like even the most greenhorn of reporters; and when he does, it's often with unintentionally hilarious references to traveling "undercover" and in "great danger" which brings to mind Inspector Clouseau in the Pink Panther movies. (Yon once decided to pick up a weapon and participate in a firefight in Iraq, nearly whacking a US soldier by accident in Mosul.) That this "Legend in his Own Mind" would use his "secret sources" to cast aspersions on what happened to the NYT's David Rhode would be amusing if weren't rooted so transparently in envy. (Yon isn't fit to hold the notebooks for an extraordinary conflict reporter such as Rhode.) Let's see what ahppens with this story . . . if it proves to be incorrect, as it almos certainly is, let's see whether Yon's manhood isn't too threatened to apologize for his Twitter "journalism."

[Imago]

You made me laugh -- reminds me of the character a million years ago on MASH - the self-described "hero" who wrote fantasy "news" coverage.

[Oldwave]

Nicely played.

[Durango]

The story does take a certain suspension of disbelief.

And considering I have never heard from the "reporter, before. . .

[JePense]

I would never believe anything Bill Keller says.

The NYTimes was once a great newspaper: it was the reliable and so-called "newspaper of record" for the world. Not now. It has lost all credibility in the last decade or so.

Fake reporters wrote fake stories and editors with stars (or something else?) in their eyes promoted them and were never chastised when caught. The NYTImes beat the drum as louder than anyone in the runup to the war in Iraq: less than honest about all things Iraq as a matter of fact.

Then the NYT had the GALL to think that it would be better for ITS OWN captured reporter's story to be kept quiet --while ransom negotiations were underway? HOW MANY TARGETS of NYTimes stories would like to be able raise a hand and say please don't cover my life's tragedy right now?

PAID RANSOM??? How lucrative for all terrorists to know which kidnappings will yield a bankroll in the future. How sweet the irony for the anti-Americans to take down the gray lady at the same time!!!

Except: she already soiled her own party dress a long time ago!

[Imago]

You gotta love someone who describes himself, on his own website as:

"the premier independent combat journalist of his generation"

I think I'm going to start describing myself as the premiere blog commenter on HP of the century.

Why not?

And I'm going to spend the rest of the day thinking of overblown ways to state my importance so I, too, can tweet to the world.

Ego, anyone?

[JTHC75]

Ever read Yon? I think he lives up to the billing.

[Durango]

If that is self billing.

No he doesn't live up to it.

I don't care who he is.

[proudloudlib]

I don't care if they did. If it was a member of my family, I would want them to pay. But I don't think it serves any purpose to talk about it.

[fya]

I don't believe it. The Times doesn't have the type of money. And if they did, it would be used to keep the paper from going out of business.

[NYkid]

Do you really believe that? no exceptions? think hard and you will remember. Rohde is not the only case. There's been a long list of similar cases concerning NYT.

[fya]

Link please to similiar cases? And yes, I don't believe for one minute that the NYT would give 25 million for a reporter.

[Stretchumall]

Extra..Extra...Read all about it..NYTimes supports terrorists!

Extra...Ex­tra.....AM­ERICAN MEDIA SUPPORTS TERRORISTS! READ ALL ABOUT IT!

[blaharumph]

NYT better not have done that.... ugh.

[Paulo1]

And the Taliban would use this money to do what exactly ?

The answer is to buy guns, ammunition, explosives and supplies to help kill American service men.

I suggest people keep this in mind when buying the NYT or visiting its website.

[Imago]

Oh, I dunno, something like a little proof might be nice beyond some guy using his twitter account before you diss the NYT.

See below from a quote from Rohde who said that no, the NYT did NOT pay this ransom.

It would really benefit the Taliban to have the world believing that this happened.

[ACMallet]

I'm no fan of the NY Times, but I sure would be happy if my employer paid millions to secure my release from kidnappers.

[freddiefreeloader]

Yea but the joke is on the Taliban because as soon as they released them America devalued the dollar.

[3rdpartypatriot]

LOL

[WellTickleMeWillie]

If it is true that the NYT paid millions to the Taleban without State Dept approval, is this not a crime against the USA since the USA is at war with the Taleban and the NYT is giving aid and comfort ($$$) to the enemy by which it may purchase more weapons to kill American soldiers.

Why isn't the NYT being prosecuted, at least the NYT management that gave the approvals to do this. Have we reached a point in US history where the corporations are all powerful and need not obey any laws? A very sad day for America.

[thaneb]

And you base this call for prosecution on a few tweets mentioning unnamed sources, whereas Rohde has specifically said no ransom was paid. Why did you even bother to begin with "If it is true"?

[Eddy333]

So, you just believe this with out any corroborating evidence? Based on a Tweet from another journalist who is hot to gain more street cred and bases his whole assertion of "very close sources"? No debating back and forth the feasibility of this, but just immediately accusing the NYT of treason? I guess you're just desperate find corporate conspiracy theories around every corner, which makes you just as easily lead as the American Taliban wing nuts. Like a sheep.

So I guess the NYT just decided that they didn't give a crap about all the other journalists they have in far flung locations that would immediately be at risk if extremist nutjobs were to find out that the were shelling out millions for hostages. And I suppose Rohde lied about his escape, right? Made the whole thing up? Was he paid to do so or forced to do so by the mustache twisting, evil NYT editors?

And, of course, the NYT would pint the account of his fake escape, endangering they entire reputation just to keep the cover up going, right?

Grow up.