What to make of that intelligence report

Former UN Ambassador John Bolton was on Fox News a couple of times this week to talk about the newly released NIE report on Iran. Bolton made more sense than most anyone else I’ve heard on this. Video of one of his interviews is available on that site. Scoll down to Hannity & Colmes to see it. I heard him tell Bill O’Reilly that this report is not based on new facts, but on a new way of looking at old facts, and it’s a mistake to misread it. O’Reilly says ‘So, the mullahs are popping the champagne right now, right?’ Because the West now believes they pose no threat?

Others are starting to wonder about the merits of this report, and it’s good to see they cross the political divide.

The new U.S. intelligence report that says Iran halted its nuclear weapons program in 2003 is suddenly raising concerns among the political center and left, as well as conservatives who have long called for a hard line against the Islamic Republic.

Moderate and liberal foreign policy experts said that U.S. intelligence agencies, possibly eager to demonstrate independence from White House political pressure, may have produced a National Intelligence Estimate that is more reassuring than it should be on the potential risks of the Iranian nuclear program.

What they’re really doing in Iran remains questionable, but it’s good to hear both sides questioning it. Trouble is, it’s still all politics…