As Iran and the West ratcheted up tensions in recent weeks over Tehran's nuclear ambitions, mainstream media reports continued to cling to an even-handed parallelism when it comes each side's credibility.   The context for rising tensions usually has it that the West believes Tehran is on a course to develop nuclear weapons, while the Iranians insist that their nuclear program is strictly for peaceful purposes. Readers and listeners thus are left to ponder a he-said-versus-he-said enigma without  guidance as to which side might have more credibility.  Western and Iranian versions are given equal weight. What tends to be missing, however, is that there is a third party to this equation -- the latest report from the UN nuclear watchdog which tilts the credibility scales against Iran by concluding that there are indeed worrisome signs that Tehran is seeking a nuclear-weapons capability.  More often than not, Western journalists find it easier or more politically...(Read Full Post)