LONDON — Accused of acting hastily, the British government on Thursday defended its decision to mount a rescue raid in Afghanistan that freed a kidnapped New York Times reporter but left dead his Afghan assistant, a British commando and possibly Afghan civilians.
The operation in northern Afghanistan, carried out early Wednesday, was authorized by the British defense and foreign secretaries, who said the “difficult decision” to send in commandos was taken only “after extensive consideration and planning.”
But some critics are questioning whether the two men’s freedom might not have been won in a less costly fashion through ongoing negotiations, including the possible payment of a ransom.
Others accuse Stephen Farrell, the reporter, of acting recklessly and endangering not just himself but his colleague by going into an area known to be perilous.
After the raid, Prime Minister Gordon Brown said that Britain “does not make substantive concessions, including paying ransoms,” to kidnappers.
“Whenever British nationals are kidnapped, we and our allies will do everything in our power to free them,” he said.
Los Angeles Times
