A New York Times Editorial appears to be something of a non-CIA rendered intelligence report on what the GOP has in mind for the Fall. I say non-CIA, because it's scary to be sure.
The last thing this country needs as it heads into this election season is another attempt to push the intelligence agencies to hype their conclusions about the threat from a Middle Eastern state.
That’s what happened in 2002, when the administration engineered a deeply flawed document on Iraq that reshaped intelligence to fit President Bush’s policy.
In what would be ironic, were this not the NY Times, they have no problem delivering up scary assessments of the deep dark inner workings of the malevolent GOP, they simply don't want anyone doing it for our enemies, as well.
But even more worrisome, the report seems intended to signal the intelligence community that the Republican leadership wants scarier assessments that would justify a more confrontational approach to Tehran.
Fortunately, if perhaps unintentionally, they are just honest enough to refute their own editorial.
It’s obvious that Iran wants nuclear weapons, has lied about its program and views America as an enemy.... But the reason American intelligence is not certain when Iran might have a nuclear bomb is because the situation is so murky — not because the agencies are too wimpy to tell the scary truth.
Let's leave aside, as the Times does, that Iran has threatened to wipe Israel off the map - they state that Iran is our enemy, has lied to the world about their on going nuclear endeavors ... and our intelligence is murky, at best. And the Times answer to that? Be Not afraid!
Interesting that to the Times a lying, terrorist-supporting enemy nation with a hidden nuclear program isn't really such a big deal. It's those dangerous democratically elected Republicans America has to fear.
As the Iran issue plays out, perhaps what America really needs is a somewhat scarier assessment of the danger in the NY Times, particularly its Editorial Staff.
