Why was this story not reported from Afghanistan? Because it is well understood by the journalists who cover Afghanistan that reporting on the connection between Karzai and the drug trade is a good way to get you (the Western journalist) thrown out of the country and all your local staff either killed or thrown in prison. For quite some time now, major Western news sources have been struggling to figure out some way to both report the story while at the same time ensuring the safety of their local staffs. (Talk about ethical dilemmas…) The New York Times was the first to find the solution by filing a report that drew primarily upon sources within the DEA and the Department of State but not to a significant degree upon the reporting of its staff in Afghanistan. (Carlotta Gall only ‘contributed reporting’ from Kabul. For her part, she wins Abu Muqawama’s Team Player award for letting this story be filed under James Risen’s byline.)
This story got told because the people at New York Times really wanted it told. But a lot of stories are not told for very reasons that New York Times played games with its bylines. The threat of violence and prospect of losing access to key players has kept a lot of stories from the light of day for a long time.