I have no great desire to defend Al Jazeera, I'm just not sure what examples you are speaking of. I'm sure there is reactionary comment on their channels, but that is also in the eyes and ear of the beholder. What you call "stoke[ing] the flames of sensitive issues" someone else might call fair and balanced. Every news channel has a political perspective, you just seem to disagree with theirs.

But even if you do, comparing them to the Taliban is itself overly sensational. The Taliban, after all, banned television.

Interestingly, many governments in the region HATE Al Jazeera (and some ban it) not because it is radical, but because it is considered too liberal.