Anger over Farrell’s rescue
There is some anger being reported that a British soldier was killed during the raid in northern Afghanistan to rescue Stephen Farrell of the New York Times. I think this is a red herring. Farrell was being held by Taliban, and I am sure the British military doesn’t need an excuse to whack Taliban. In ...
There is some anger being reported that a British soldier was killed during the raid in northern Afghanistan to rescue Stephen Farrell of the New York Times. I think this is a red herring. Farrell was being held by Taliban, and I am sure the British military doesn’t need an excuse to whack Taliban. In military terms, Farrell’s nervy decision to go into an very active Taliban area may have made him the equivalent of a tethered goat — that is, an unwitting probe.
Thomas E. Ricks is a former contributing editor to Foreign Policy. Twitter: @tomricks1
More from Foreign Policy
America Is a Heartbeat Away From a War It Could Lose
Global war is neither a theoretical contingency nor the fever dream of hawks and militarists.
The West’s Incoherent Critique of Israel’s Gaza Strategy
The reality of fighting Hamas in Gaza makes this war terrible one way or another.
Biden Owns the Israel-Palestine Conflict Now
In tying Washington to Israel’s war in Gaza, the U.S. president now shares responsibility for the broader conflict’s fate.
Taiwan’s Room to Maneuver Shrinks as Biden and Xi Meet
As the latest crisis in the straits wraps up, Taipei is on the back foot.
Sign up for World Brief
FP’s flagship evening newsletter guiding you through the most important world stories of the day, written by Alexandra Sharp. Delivered weekdays.
By submitting your email, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use and to receive email correspondence from us. You may opt out at any time.