Posted on 07/18/2004 3:42:57 PM PDT by RWR8189
Thanks for ping--I was already here composing my posts!
I am getting aggravated that smart reporters didn't use information that was plainly available before this vaunted Committee report to expose Wilson.
Things like the timing the forgeries got in U.S. hands is not some new revelation---we've known it and we here at FR have been talking about the problems with Wilson because of it since the start.
Argh. At least it's coming out now.
The government doesn't need people with agendas like Wilson's acting on its behalf.
And it most assuredly doesn't need the people who share those agendae and hire people like Wilson.
He was hired because of his agenda. See the "puzzling" reference to "CIA officials" touting the Wilson line. It isn't puzzling. They were all in it together, this little band.
It is bigger than egomaniac Joe Wilson making things up. And it's a big mess that hopefully is the real focus of the investigation, not the bogus "who leaked Plame's name" business.
And no, you and Jenny are correct, our government doesn't need traitors.
I see you were saying the same thing I was---those in government who share Wilson's agenda. I wish it were easy to rid ourselves....Alan Foley, Plame's boss, left last September right after the story gained traction.
Let's hope the evidence is being assembled to take care of the rest who were involved.
Hmmmm .. When is that grand jury going to finish??
What else was discussed at this Senate Democratic Policy Committee conference and what was Wilson doing there?
1. March, 2002 -- Wilson goes to Niger at the behest of the CIA. He "investigates" and returns with a report that: a.) the Niger authorities claim they have not sold any yellowcake to Iraq and b.) the PM had, in fact, received a trade mission from Iraq which he assumed was seeking yellowcake. Shimmer dissolve to...
2. January, 2003 -- The President speaks his 16 words ("The British government has learned that Saddam Hussein recently sought significant quantities of uranium from Africa.")
As an aside, this statement is in complete accord with what Wilson reported to the CIA, is it not?
3. February, 2003 -- Joe Wilson and Nicholas Kristof are reportedly both in attendance at a Democrat Senate Campaign Planning Conference. At this conference, it is purportedly revealed that, in the wake of the Democrats' disasterous mid-term electoral defeat, their strategy for 2004 will be to a.) attack Bush's credibility and b.) undermine American efforts in the WOT.
4. April, 2003 -- isn't it along in here, Shermy & Wolfstar, that the Wilson/Plame originated "leaks" begin to show up. Leaks attributed to "intelligence officials", appearing in The Independent, the BBC and Kristof's column in the NYTimes?
5. May, 2003 -- Wilson speaks for the record. To Kristof.
6. June, 2003 -- It becomes apparent that the various "leaks" and "rumors" designed to discredit Bush's "sixteen words" are not having their intended political effect. In the wake of a wildly successful Iraq campaign, the Bush bandwagon appears unscathed and unhindered.
7. July 3, 2003 -- Joe Wilson pens his op-ed for the New York Times. And he appears to gain some traction, at least with the NYTimes crowd and other media sycophants.
8. July 14, 2003 -- Novak "outs" Plame as CIA and the sponsor of Wilson's Niger mission. The case becomes a cause celebre, if not a fait accompli.
We know the rest of the story...
But the point of the chronology is to establish that, when Wilson heard Bush's "16 words", he knew them to be true! In fact, he could even be forgiven for assuming that they had been based on his own report.
Nonetheless, Wilson either volunteered or was recruited into what amounts to a conspiracy to undermine the credibility of the President of the United States, in time of war.
Some (Steyn among them) have given Joe Wilson credit for contriving this scheme on his own and practicing a single-handed deception on the media and the Democrat leadership. I think that's given Wilson far too much credit. Instead, I believe Wilson was the instrument of others -- in the media and the Democrat leadership. They encouraged his lies. And, indeed, knew they were lies!
What's more, others were in on the act, as well. that's the only way to explain:
What's puzzling is that at times intelligence officials, quoted on background, also supported Wilson's claims. In a July 9, 2003, Newsday story by Timothy M. Phelps, for example, a "senior intelligence official" agreed with Wilson that his report "was widely disseminated" throughout the Bush administration. This wasn't the case.
Wilson's lies were being supported by others inside the intelligence establishment. Or Timothy M. Phelps was himself lying (a not unlikely conclusion, given the media's dilute form of veracity).
The Wilson Affair was part of a wide-ranging, highly orchestrated plot. FReepers have suspected as much for some time. And, perhaps, that is what the Fitzgerald grand jury is really all about...
Here's an article from July 9 (Wilson's op-ed appeared July 6) over in the BBC news quoting a "CIA official". Another example of the others involved (Plame has been our guess of who this source was) as this source touts the Wilson story in every aspect:
White House 'warned over Iraq claim'
July 9, 2003
Doubts about a claim that Iraq had tried to buy uranium from the African state of Niger were aired 10 months before Mr Bush included the allegation in his key State of the Union address this year, a CIA official has told the BBC.
~snip~
But the CIA official has said that a former US diplomat had already established the claim was false in March 2002 - and that the information had been passed on to government departments, including the White House, well before Mr Bush mentioned it in the speech.
~snip~
Well, there goes that CIA official. Passing on flat out lies. Yes, I have long hoped this investigation is into how the hell we have rogue CIA agents undermining the U.S. at time of war by passing off bald-faced lies to the press.
It's strange that Loftus is running cover for Wilson. Loftus is helping out in the suit of the 9/11 families against the Saudis. Wilson belongs to a Saudi-funded think tank - the Middle East Institute. He is also affiliated with a consultant firm (Rock Creek Corporation) that does business with the Saudis.
Loftus and Wilson are scheduled to be guests on the John Batchelor show on WABC Radio on Monday, July 19th. It will be interesting to see what gems they come up with.
I sure hope so, although I'm not betting the farm on it, so to speak.
•
And what was the media (Kristof) doing there?
Plotting and scheming, evidently.
Disappointed in Loftus for defending Wilson. He simply had a 'wrong opinion'? More Democratic dissembling. Wilson is a lying political hack, seeking to position himself for a job in a possible Kerry Administration.
Told him HE better get caught up since HE is behind the curve. Bachelor's show should be interesting. He's down to 11:00 pm talk radio to make his case now that CNN/Wolfie cant save him.
Oh, it's going to get worse than this before the elections. Those reporters who were taken would be wise to out this guy and get on the right side of history. Those who don't are going to be ruined.
Looking forward to the show tonight too. Unfortunately Batchelor does not take calls.
Just caught Loftus on Bachelor giving Berger a pass for taking classified documents and notes out of the archives. I'm writing Loftus off as another apologist.
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