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Wife-Beating Stopped When?

Big news today that the NIE is hedging on Iran.  That’s being reported a couple of different ways. Big political flap, though I notice they didn’t actually changed the schedule on how long it could take Iran to make a bomb.  Just like the Dems are saying, Iran’s like Iraq … but it’s not that Bush-lied thing. Iran responded to military pressure when it saw what happened four years ago, just like Saddam always responded to realistic military threats, as Hanson has noted, and like Saddam, Iran figures it can dance, prevaricate and bide its time.  Like maybe till next January.

That’s all fascinating. Political football’s in play. More interesting, I just noticed that veteran UPI scribbler Pamela Hess is now writing for the AP.  Indulge me here. I know it’s nothing momentous like our intelligence community parsing the Persians, but it could already have made a difference in the quality of news you get in your local paper. When we first encountered her earlier this year, Hess was wondering with some exasperation, “What happens if we lose?” She wanted to know why no one in the newsgathering business was asking that question.  She was great:  

“If as a reporter you do ask the national security question, all of a sudden you’re carrying Bush’s water.”

Then she went back to Iraq and wrote more.  She was great.

Today, she produced one of the more level-headed reports on the new NIE on Iran.

Quick google check suggests she’s been at the AP for a couple of months at least.  She’s an intelligence beat reporter who appears to support the notion that the United States government requires intelligence and has legitimate interests in seeking it.  That’s different. I remember this Nov. 11 article, remember given the subject matter being a little surprised that Kerr wasn’t asked when he stopped beating his wife, that the article allowed him to say his piece and discussed the issue in a common sense way prior to introducing the free speech/privacy advocate (he gets to say what he likes, everyone else has to mind their own business?). I didn’t notice the byline at the time.

Same deal.  He gets his say without being treated like a deranged Strangelove-era commie hunter.

So the talented Ms. Hess, blessed with courage and clarity of thought, is now writing for the AP. God bless you, Pamela Hess. You’ve got your work cut out for you. The big question I have is, does this mean AP has stopped beating its wife? 

It’s also worth noting that while Hess is now working for the AP and it’s changed its tone somewhat on Iraq, AP is also very much on jihad for a stringer who is either one of the more unprofessional, opportunistic, amoral and also hapless newsmen around, or he was a jihadi himself.

Topics: Iran, Iraq, media

  Posted by Jules Crittenden at 9:54 pm on Monday, December 3, 2007

5 Responses to “Wife-Beating Stopped When?”

1. J.M. Heinrichs Says:
   December 3rd, 2007 at 10:24 pm

   From the NYTimes article: “…the halt “was directed primarily in response to increasing international scrutiny and pressure.””
   Ummm, … yeah, …. makes sense to me ….

   Cheers

2. steve Says:
   December 4th, 2007 at 1:23 am

   thanks for bring Pamela Hess to my attention Jules.

   AP’s corrupt oversight of her work is mindboggling.

3. Don Surber » Blog Archive » Pam Hess praised Says:
   December 4th, 2007 at 7:56 am

   [...] Crittenden offers rare praise for an Associated Press reporter. I [...]

4. tanstaafl Says:
   December 4th, 2007 at 12:03 pm

   Are they (liberal democrats) now to suggest that Republicans have been warmongering over a nonexistent threat for partisan purposes?

   Yes.

   The (not so) Great HairReid has already made that observation.

   The Iran/IAEA dance has been going on for years. I would think that (despite 3000 centrifuges) Iran may well be having problems getting the processing and enrichment programs up to far.

   But close down ? It sounds like just another dance step.

   Of course “I”, in my cynicism, attributed similar complexities and difficulties to North Korea’s “agreement” to close down or slow portions of its program.

   After which, Christopher Hill & friends smiled favorably on the Norks. Freed up a lot of frozen Nork funds in China and made promises of fuel oil.

   I think both North Korea and Iran have become quite adept at manipulation of “diplomacy”.

   Excuse me, but this NIE news strikes me as more rock ‘n roll. (and wasn’t some earlier NIE on Iraq found to be hugely flawed ?)

5. tanstaafl Says:
   December 4th, 2007 at 12:09 pm

   up to far

   up to par

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