Jules Crittenden, city editor of the Boston Herald, points out the sheer mendacity of the press acounts of the NIE, based, as they are, on cherry—picked leaks. First he properly notes In time of war, the nation's classified intelligence analysis of the enemy's capabilities is none of our, the public's, business. It is not the New York Times' business. It is the business of those who are prosecuting this war. They use it to determine strategy and tactics for defeating that enemy. He then excerpts the newly released "judgments" material and draws some smart conclusions.  "Greater pluralism and more responsive political systems in Muslim majority nations would alleviate some of the grievances jihadists exploit." we know. Building democracy in medieval fiefdoms is difficult work, particularly when faced with an adversary willing to blow up its own constituents, but we're working on it. [....] "We assess that the Iraq jihad is shaping a new generation of terrorist leaders...(Read Full Post)