Ben Hubbard
Beirut Bureau Chief for The New York Times. hubbard at nytimes dot com. I don't want no botheration.
مدير مكتب النيويورك تايمز في بيروت
Last synced from Twitter 449d ago
Why Spy on Twitter? For Saudi Arabia, It’s the Town Square
The indictment of two former Twitter employees accused of spying for the Saudis highlights the platform’s power and the kingdom’s efforts to control it.
As Kurds Tracked ISIS Leader, U.S. Withdrawal Threw Raid Into Turmoil
Trump’s decision to pull troops from Syria upended a 5-year alliance and threw the plans against al-Baghdadi into disarray.
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Ben Hubbard
After 5 years of fighting and dying in partnership with the US against ISIS, Syria's Kurdish-led forces spied on al-Baghdadi, even SWIPING HIS UNDERWEAR for DNA.
Then @realDonaldTrump shattered the alliance and chaos broke loose.
w/@EricSchmittNYT
39d
Likely Successor to Dead ISIS Leader Also Reported Killed
Abu Hassan al-Muhajir, spokesman of the Islamic State, is believed to have been killed a day after the American raid that left the group’s leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi dead.
‘What Is Going to Happen to Us?’ Inside ISIS Prison, Children Ask Their Fate
A rare inside look by New York Times journalists exposes an enormous legal and humanitarian crisis, one that the world has largely chosen to ignore.
U.S. Withdrawal From Syria Gathers Speed, Amid Accusations of Betrayal
More than 100 American military vehicles entered Iraq on Monday, accelerating a pullout that greatly reduces American clout in Syria.
As U.S. Leaves Allies in Syria, Kurdish Commander Struggles With Fallout
Mazlum Kobani, whose Kurdish-led force fought the Islamic State in Syria, fears that a complete United States withdrawal could endanger his people and allow the jihadists to regroup.
Kurds’ Sense of Betrayal Compounded by Empowerment of Unsavory Rivals
Abandoned by the U.S., Kurdish forces are doubly angry at who are seeking to replace them: Turkish-allied Syrian fighters the United States had long rejected as extremists, criminals and thugs.
Turkey Urges Kurdish Fighters to Lay Down Their Arms
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called on the Kurds to leave a Syrian region “this night.” He spoke as Vice President Mike Pence and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo were planning to visit Turkey.
Assad Forces Surge Forward in Syria as U.S. Pulls Back
Syrian government forces streamed into the country’s northeast, filling a vacuum opened up by President Trump’s decision to pull back in Syria.
Pullback Leaves Green Berets Feeling ‘Ashamed,’ and Kurdish Allies Describing ‘Betrayal’
As Turkish forces cross into Kurdish areas of northern Syria, the orders from Washington to U.S. troops are simple: Stand back. Let the Kurds fight for themselves.
Trump’s Abandonment of the Kurds in Syria Has Other Allies Worried
The president’s acquiescence to a Turkish raid in northern Syria alarmed allies for its unpredictability as much as its betrayal.
Militants Backed by Turkey Kill at Least Two Prisoners in Syria
The killings of Kurdish prisoners by Arab rebels raised the specter of wider sectarian warfare as fighting in northwestern Syria escalates.
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Ben Hubbard
Four days into Turkey's Syria incursion, Arab rebels killed two Kurdish prisoners, one shot with his arms tied behind his back.
@realDonaldTrump may have unleashed dangerous sectarian forces by pulling American troops out of the way. With @KaramShoumali
55d
Turkey Begins Syria Offensive, Targeting U.S.-Backed Kurds
Turkey moved ahead with plans for a military operation in northeastern Syria, which a U.S.-backed Kurdish militia said would cause a “humanitarian catastrophe.”
Turkey Begins Syria Incursion, Targeting Militia Backed by U.S.
Turkey moved ahead with plans to send forces into northeastern Syria, which a U.S.-backed Kurdish militia said would cause a “humanitarian catastrophe.”
A Look at Who Is Affected by Trump’s Shift in Syria
Kurdish fighters in northern Syria partnered with the United States to fight the Islamic State, but may find themselves facing Turkey’s military alone.
Saudi Arabia and Iran Make Quiet Openings to Head Off War
Weeks after the Middle East seemed on the verge of war, Saudi Arabia and Iran are seeking ways to ease tensions. A warming relationship could have far-reaching consequences.
Lebanon’s Prime Minister Gave $16 Million to South African Model
Saad Hariri did not make the payments while he was prime minister, South African court records show, but the revelation is likely to tarnish his image.
Top Bodyguard to 2 Saudi Kings Is Shot Dead
Gen. Abdulaziz al-Faghem, who oversaw protection for two Saudi kings, was shot and killed in what the Saudi news media called a personal dispute.
Saudi Prince Accepts Responsibility for Khashoggi Killing, but Denies Involvement
A documentary quotes Mohammed bin Salman, the crown prince, as saying he did not know in advance about the death of Jamal Khashoggi, but that it happened “under my watch.”
Attack on Saudi Arabia Tests U.S. Guarantee to Defend Gulf
The American hesitation to take military action may signal a weakening of its commitment to protect the Arab Persian Gulf and could embolden Iran.