When there is news about Afghanistan involving Special Forces or especially the CIA, the factual reporting tends to be a bit, um, conflicting.
Here are some previous examples, documenting the, um, conflicting facts:
Sorry for the thinness of this one. But here is a fact about today's attack in Kabul.
What was the target of the attack?
Breaking tone with the previous factual diaries. But for fucks sake, newspeople. You can't even get the Long War fucking neocon Journal to go with a headline that dumb:
- Taliban launch suicide assault on Presidential palace, CIA HQ in Kabul
Here's reporting that admits it, once past the headline.
The gunbattle started about 6:30 a.m. near the east gate leading to the palace next to the Afghan Ministry of Defense and the former Ariana Hotel, which former U.S. intelligence officials have confirmed is used by the CIA.
AP
A U.S. official said the U.S. believes the Taliban's claim that they were targeting the presidential palace and the Ariana Hotel, where the CIA is headquartered.
CNN
Attackers jumped out of a vehicle at a roundabout near the Salam Khana (Welcome Home) gate of the presidential palace and opened fire on guards and the former Ariana hotel nearby, which has been used as a CIA base for more than a decade.
Guardian
The Taliban said the presidential palace, the Afghan Defense Ministry and a CIA outpost were the targets.
Washington Post
And reported as an update:
In a message sent to journalists, Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid said the main target was the Ariana Hotel, where an important CIA station is located, as well as the nearby presidential palace and Afghan Defense Ministry.
LA Times
Which new fact the LA Times had somehow missed the first time:
In text messages to reporters, the Taliban claimed responsibility, saying several attackers targeted the presidential palace, the Ministry of Defense and a nearby hotel.
The Taliban sent out a message claiming that they had targeted a nearby
CIA headquarters of a hotel. Oh holy hell what a press we have.