Drip Drip

The New York Times has its moles burrowing everywhere; even from "double super secret" grand jury proceedings. (Think about that the next time someone, anyone, tells you that anything is supposed to be confidential.) And what's it all about, Alfie? Why, Karl Rove, of course. It turns out that somebody called Mr. Rove up and told him that Joseph Wilson's wife worked for the CIA and the blabber-mouth was....::::drum roll:::

Robert Novak.

WASHINGTON, July 14 - Karl Rove, the White House senior adviser, spoke with the columnist Robert D. Novak as he was preparing an article in July 2003 that identified a C.I.A. officer who was undercover, someone who has been officially briefed on the matter said.

Mr. Rove has told investigators that he learned from the columnist the name of the C.I.A. officer, who was referred to by her maiden name, Valerie Plame, and the circumstances in which her husband, former Ambassador Joseph C. Wilson IV, traveled to Africa to investigate possible uranium sales to Iraq, the person said.

Yes, Mr. Novak is the same guy who first mentioned the whole situation in public; the same guy who told the rest of us about Valerie Plame.

However, somehow I doubt that this will be the end of this spectacle. Some dogs will simply not let go of a bone; even one with absolutely no flesh on it.

(Thanks to Captain Ed)

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Comments

[Tony Miller]

I have a dog. She's a great terrier mix. Every so often when we're in the house she barks. One night, she barked at 2am, and it turned out to be that my car was being broken into. My wife said: "You heard the dog barking, didn't you?" I said: "Sure. But when she barks it could be a burglar, a squirrel outside, a cat, the wind blowing the trees..."

The media is getting a lot like my dog. When they bark, you can't be sure it means anything important.

[teal marie]

"Some dogs will simply not let go of a bone; even one with absolutely no flesh on it."
It sure got quiet all of a sudden. Where'd that nest of weiner dogs go? Out shopping for the next goal post to shift/pretend they thunk up all by themselves? I don't see any spontaneous rebuttal here, dawgs!

[Acidman]

This "story" is a tempest in a teapot. There ain't no THERE there.

[Justin]

I have a question for Bush supporting commenters--this is a serious question and not a "troll" question (I'm asking b/c I find that even if I disagree with commenters on this site, the arguments made are good and I respect the diverse points of view on this site):

If it turns that Plame was indeed "covert"--which I admit is, at best, not clear-- and that an Administration official (Rove, or someone else) knowingly revealed her identity to embarass and discredit Wilson, even if everything Wilson said was a lie, would that be a considerable ethical and national secuirty breach? If not, why not?

I'll admit the converse (if that's the right word)--if Rove was only repeating what he heard from another reporter, even if it was to embarass Wilson, I'd agree that liberals are way off base in their attacks. Liberals hate Rove of course, and liberal attacks on him are motivated in part by the dislike of him.

Thanks

[teal marie]

Gee Willis, Justin! It sounds like you got a clue. Congrats. Let's not play "What if?", that's how you all went wrong in the first place.
Thanks for not being too disappointed that the silly farce didn't work out as planned. Next you might find it in you to be glad Rove isn't the traitor you fantasized.
You're welcome.

[baldilocks]

Justin,

*Of course* it would be an ethical breach and a prosecutable offense.

That was the whole point of me posting the links related to the background of the story and posting the definition of 'covert agent' several times; for people to actually read the standard and use it to do some *informed* speculating rather than throwing slogans, epithets and propaganda back and forth.

Thank you for meeting me at least halfway.

[torchy]

Justin
From the REPORT ON THE U.S. INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY'S
PREWAR INTELLIGENCE ASSESSMENTS ON IRAQ
-July 7. 2004
Section II. Niger
B.Former Ambassador
(paragraph towrds bottom of page)
U) Because CIA analysts did not believe that the report added any new information to clarify the issue, they did not use the report to produce any further analytical products or highlight the report for policymakers. For the same reason, CIA's briefer did not brief the Vice President on the report, despite the Vice President's previous questions about the issue.

If Wilsons report wasn't used as part of the intelligence to decide the best way to deal with Iraqs recalcitrance what motive would the White House have to undermine Wilsons unsupported Washington Post claims by revealing that he got the job through the influence of his CIA analyst wife? That wouldn't undermine the nature of his claims, just reveal a touch of impropriety in the investigative process.I could see leaking Wilsons CIA debriefing (probably still classified at the time) where his statements were clearly opposed his current claims. I could also see a motive if the White House faced valid recriminations about their use of intelligence. If Wilsons CIA report wasn't in the loop at the time decisions about invading Iraq were made, how could anyone accuse the Bush administration of ignoring its contents? Why would the White House risk political capital to even attempt it when it was clear to them that Wilsons public claims wouldn't pan out? Claims that failed congressional muster a year later. To answer your question, yes, the revelation of classified materials, especially for unwarranted political purposes, would be a serious breach worthy of prosecution/impeachment. On the other hand I could see a former politico, with an axe to grind, try to obfuscate his patent lies through misdirection, revealing his classified sources in a way to suggest that they were leaked by the target of his
lies, keeping the fingers pointed away from himself.
BTW, I'm not a Bush supporter because his name ends in "Bush". I support courage,strength and fidelity in all our leaders, qualities George W Bush has admirably displayed.

[AH·C]

Justin, check out AJStrata's post at
http://strata-sphere.com/blog/index.php/archives/331

When you look at all that is known and the timeline, you'll see that leaks, breach of security et al all points back to Plame/Wilson.

I am tempted to say that when Fitzgerald is done, expect the dubious duo doing the perp walk to the hoosegow, and I don't mean Club Fed.

But then I'm reminded of Sandy Burgular and have to resign myself to Plame getting fired from the CIA and Wilson slapped on the wrist.