As was widely reported this morning, U.S. officials today laid out the intelligence we have about that mysterious Syrian site the Israelis bombed in September. The New York Times story gave me the impression that the evidence was pretty compelling, since the decision to reveal it had apparently sparked heated internal debate between the Cheneyites and moderates within the administration. Upon closer inspection, though--at least from the reports that have come out so far--the evidence looks a little flimsier. It turns out we don't actually have videotape of activity at the site, as implied by the Times, just still photographs compiled into "a video presentation, like a Powerpoint presentation." Now, Reuters reports that:
A U.S. official, who asked not to be named because he was not authorized to discuss classified matters, said that among the intelligence the United States has was an image of what appeared to be people of Korean descent at the facility.
Really? "Appeared to be people of Korean descent"? I hope we're scuttling talks with the North Koreans based on at least something a little firmer than that...
--Josh Patashnik