I suspect that there will be a lot of back slapping in DC about the convictions in the London airline bomber case today. However, the acquittal of one of the members and the hung jury on four more should give us pause. Why? Because the White House’s decision to pull the trigger early on this case, despite the fact that it was a British intelligence case and all the members were under constant surveillance, led directly to the inconclusive verdicts. MI5 had the matter well in hand and was waiting to develop more information about additional conspirators before rounding up the London bunch. However, as well documented in Ron Suskind’s recent book, the Bush administration’s desire to get good press before the 2006 election caused the British to have to act before they wished, jeopardizing the case and our longstanding relationship with British intelligence agencies.

In short, this isn’t a triumph for the US. It’s an example of how this administration will risk lives for good press.