I'd like to know what makes journos working with the biggest newspaper in the world write things like this. Like, I'd pay good money to have Mehdi Hasan say "what the fuck mate" at them and stare until they break

If that phrase doesn't appear in the piece itself an editor likely wrote it. If it does appear in the piece itself it's an even split on who wrote it. NYT as an institution, IME, likes big sweeping statements and doesn't love nuance.