Pander, pander, pander

Nowhere in this statement does the State Department express any dismay about the fact that Arabs are rioting all over the world over cartoons:

'These cartoons are indeed offensive to the belief of Muslims,' State Department spokesman Kurtis Cooper said in answer to a question. 'We all fully recognize and respect freedom of the press and expression but it must be coupled with press responsibility. Inciting religious or ethnic hatreds in this manner is not acceptable.'

Two comments: First, maybe in this cowardly, unprincipled way, the U.S. is trying to do ex post facto damage control over the whole "Koran in the potty" debacle. Second, I'm not sure where this fits in with Federal funding through the NEA for the infamous "Piss Christ" or for other art projects inimical to Christian iconography.