Sometimes news reporting gets so twisted, it demands to be re-written. The beginning of a Washington Post report follows with the original sentences in italics and my re-writes in between.

It may be years before the full cost of Edward Snowden’s intelligence leaks can be measured.

It may be years before the full effect — both the costs and benefits — of Edward Snowden’s intelligence leaks can be measured.

But his disclosures about top-secret surveillance programs have already come at a price for the U.S. government: America’s foes have been handed an immensely powerful tool for portraying Washington as a hypocritical proponent of democratic values that it doesn’t abide by at home.

But his disclosures about top-secret surveillance programs have already placed the U.S. government in an awkward position: America’s critics now find it much easier to portray Washington as a hypocritical proponent of democratic values that it doesn’t abide by at home.

As Snowden continues his extraordinary flight from U.S. authorities, hopscotching the globe with the acquiescence of other governments, Washington’s critics have savored the irony of the world’s human rights champion being tripped up by revelations about its monitoring of phone and Internet communications.

As Snowden continues his extraordinary flight from U.S. authorities, hopscotching the globe without the intervention of other governments, Washington’s detractors have savored the irony of a country that sees itself as the world’s human rights champion being tripped up by revelations about its disregard for the constitutional rights of its own citizens through the monitoring of their phone and Internet communications.

Meanwhile, China, Russia, Cuba, and Ecuador — countries with dismal human rights records — have cast themselves as the champions of political freedom.

When the hypocrisy of the United States captures the world’s attention, it becomes increasingly difficult for the U.S. to lead the charge in the defense of human rights.