Afghanistan elections and "objective" reporting

The New York Times, on February 28, 2014, reported on  leading Afghan candidates for president, citing two of them as "Warlords with Dark Pasts."

Here is one of them, Abdul Rashid Dostum, a leader of the Uzbeks in Afghanistan.

The dark General Dostum, in 2001, was celebrated as a hero for his valiant fight against the Taliban, or "Dark Taliban," as we might now describe them.  No point in accusing the Times of consistency.

Dr Abdullah Abdullah, as he shows himself now,

. . . ran with this campaign image during the last election:

Tell me you know enough about Central Asia to hold an informed opinion.