New Guardian Mideast Expert

We knew Guardian contributors were no great friends of Israel, but this byline gives us chills.

(They’ve outdone even the LA Times’ op-ed page on defining legitimate contributors.)

Responsible newspapers won’t do this, because they reserve op-eds for individuals who deserve their readers’ fundamental trust (the bin Laden tape was therefore just a news story everywhere else). When printing an op-ed, editors implicitly express to their readership, “I don’t necessarily agree with this person, but s/he deserves your attention as an credible, well-intended thinker.”

Telling indeed that bin Laden fits this definition according to The Guardian.