Blame America first

This Washington Times editorial takes the Washington Post to task for the anti-Bush spin of its recent coverage of Iran. First, a story by Dafna Linzer about the National Intelligence Estimate on Iran criticized the Bush administration for asserting forcefully but without proof that Tehran is moving determinedly toward a nuclear arsenal. Yet deeper into the story she quotes a senior intelligence official who states “it is the judgment of the intelligence community that, left to its own devices, Iran is determined to build nuclear weapons.”
Linzer seems to believe that ill-considered U.S. policies, rather than the nature of the Iranian government, are primarily responsible for tensions between the two nations. Indeed, she has suggested that the mullahs may have been justified in rejecting the package of economic and diplomatic concessions that the EU, with Bush administration backing, offered them.
If Iran ends up with nuclear weapons, be it two years from now or ten, expect the Post to blame President Bush for not taking bold, forceful action. The difference is that Post’s criticism will be justified at that point, although the inevitable picture of Bush playing golf will be out of line.