In the Yale Daily News, Jamie Kirchick writes about Yale’s “student Taliban” Rahmatullah Hashemi, Class of 2009:

In 2000, Hashemi, then 21, became a “roving ambassador” for the Taliban — Angelina Jolie for the Islamofascist set, if you will. He toured the U.S. defending the “achievements” of the Taliban, even visiting Yale. In the months leading up to Sept. 11, Hashemi had a falling out with the Taliban; he became disillusioned with their banning of neckties, chessboards and the Internet because he “wanted something good for Afghanistan.” Presumably, Taliban policy prior to its crackdowns in spring 2001, which included public torture and murder of homosexuals, veiling of women and destruction of ancient Buddhist statues, were all “good for Afghanistan.” Attempting to show intellectual growth, Hashemi told the News Monday he “really support[s]” free speech, adding, “I did and do believe in women’s rights. Yes, women should be able to vote.”

How progressive. There is little evidence to show Hashemi’s beliefs have changed much; indeed, available information indicates his views on world affairs hardly differ from ignorant conspiracy theories so common today in the Muslim world. In an article posted on the Web site of the organization sponsoring his stay in the U.S., he writes, “Seemingly, like the poor Taliban, common Americans are ignorant of the fact that their franchise state of Israel in the Middle East is serving as an American al-Qaida against the Arab world.”

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In a letter to the News, Eric Knibbs GRD ‘10 wrote, “I was not aware that ideology could disqualify a Yale applicant” (”Students’ ideologies should not play role in admissions decisions,” 2/28). I believe it should not. But an applicant’s employment as an agent for a declared enemy of the United States that abetted a terrorist attack that took the lives of some 3,000 civilians is another matter.

The administration believes Yale is lucky to have Hashemi. According to the New York Times, Yale had “another foreigner of Rahmatullah’s caliber apply for special-student status.” Said former Dean of Admissions Richard Shaw, “We lost him to Harvard. I don’t want that to happen again.” Who was the applicant? A member of Saddam Hussein’s Ba’ath party? A protege of Robert Mugabe’s?