The Bush Lied story started based on anonymous sources, but touting the Wilson story. Then Wilson wrote his op-ed revealing it was he who had gone to Niger. So what had happened is Wilson in fact was the one who got the ball rolling as an anonymous source (along with others, most likely his wife included, as anonymous sources). Novak's article then appeared after Wilson's piece, stating that Wilson--a very vocal and vehement anti-Bush and anti-war critic--had been suggested for the trip by his wife who was with the CIA.
Incidentally, as previously noted, Wilson was in the media in several venues--a column in The Nation, appearances on PBS-- after the SOTU address was given and before the war started and in the early days of the war. He even referred to the speech---but not one public word of questioning the "Sixteen Words" at that time. That would support your theory that the issue was cooked up later--but I don't think it was--there was a reason Wilson went to Niger in 2002 and we need to know what it was.
Also, remember the Sixteen Words story was timed to coincide with the attack on Blair that was being unrolled at the very same time: The Sexed Up Dossier story. There was definitely more than Chris Lehane behind this scheme.
You may be right about there being more than Chris Lehan behind the scheme, but it was Chris Lehane who so vigorously shopped the story to the media and kept on the front burner.
bttt