The August 13 Kayhan, the hardline Iranian newspaper edited by the Supreme Leader’s appointee, headlines (and cites approvingly from) the New York Times news article declaring the (split) election in Lebanon to be a sign of yet another U.S. failure (the article cited only critics). There is nothing wrong with Iranian press picking up U.S. stories or vice versa, but perhaps there should be a pause for consideration, especially given the Iranian regime’s recent declarations that their media is meant to serve the revolution, and not report straight news.
Contrast the New York Times’ hatchet job with Barry Rubin’s broader–and honest–analysis of the problems faces by liberals in Arab politics.