Naive York Times

Maybe they just didn't want to sound too paranoid...

It's hard to disagree with Vice President Dick Cheney's criticism of Russia on Thursday. Vladimir Putin has indeed reversed the democratizing course set, however clumsily and incompletely, by Boris Yeltsin, and he is using Russia's vast reserves of oil and gas as tools of intimidation and blackmail. Still, however much we agree with the content of Mr. Cheney's remarks, the unavoidable reaction is to question their motives and usefulness. There was a time when a strong statement from Washington in support of human rights and democratic behavior carried real authority. But of late the human-rights record of this administration has eroded its moral authority, and Mr. Cheney is closely associated with some of its most offensive policies.

(snip)

The Bush administration has been working hard for weeks to line up Mr. Putin's support for a United Nations resolution aimed at halting Iran's nuclear enrichment activities. Without Russian backing, that effort cannot succeed. In that light, the timing of Mr. Cheney's remarks, which were vetted by the White House, seems rather odd.

So... Cheney's criticisms may have sabotaged the chances of a diplomatic solution to Iran's nuclear aspirations? Wow, what could possibly explain a mysterious gaffe like that...