Radar spin and recoil

The Washington Post referred to George Bush's interpretation of the National Intelligence Estimate on Iran's nuclear intentions and capabilities as "neck-snapping spin." He was sold down the river by his own spy services but tried to pretend he wasn't. The Czech government, by saying the NIE report changes nothing with regard to its radar plans, was showing more loyalty to Bush than some of his own people. The Czech radar cadre (Topolánek, Vondra, Schwarzenberg, Pojar, Klvaňa) has put its own spin on the NIE report by insisting, for example, that the radar was always meant to guard against conventional weapons, but a perceptible shift is nevertheless taking place. Czech officials are trying to have it both ways by remaining loyal to Bush and by transferring responsibility for the final decision on missile defense to Nato. This approach, given the implications of the NIE report, probably means the radar issue will be put on the back burner in about mid-2008.