Special Report: Was The Wilson Affair A CIA Plot?

GOP USA ^ | October 24, 2005 | By Cliff Kincaid

[Jim Robinson]

The media version of the CIA leak case is that the White House illegally revealed a CIA employee's identity because her husband, Joseph Wilson, was an administration critic. But former prosecutor Joseph E. diGenova says the real story is that the CIA "launched a covert operation" against the president when it sent Wilson on the mission to Africa to investigate the Iraq-uranium link. DiGenova, a former Independent Counsel who prosecuted several high-profile cases and has extensive experience on Capitol Hill, including as counsel to several Senate committees, is optimistic that Special Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald will figure it all out.

DiGenova tells this columnist, "It seems to me somewhat strange, in terms of CIA tradecraft, that if you were really attempting to protect the identity of a covert officer, why would you send her husband overseas on a mission, without a confidentiality agreement, and then allow him when he came back to the United States to write an op-ed piece in the New York Times about it."

That mission, he explained, leads naturally to the questions: Who is this guy? And how did he get this assignment? "That's not the way you protect the identity of a covert officer," he said. "If it is, then [CIA director] Porter Goss is doing the right thing in cleaning house" at the agency.

If the CIA is the real villain in the case, then almost everything we have been told about the scandal by the media is wrong. What's more, it means that the CIA, perhaps the most powerful intelligence agency in the U.S. Government, was deliberately trying to undermine the Bush Administration's Iraq War policy. The liberals who are anxious for indictments of Bush Administration officials in this case should start paying attention to this aspect of the scandal. They may be opposed to the Iraq War, but since when is the CIA allowed to run covert operations against an elected president of the U.S.?

DiGenova first made his astounding comments about the Wilson affair being a covert operation against the president on the Imus in the Morning Show, carried nationally on radio and MSNBC-TV. I wondered whether these serious charges would be refuted or probed by the media. Imus, a shock jock who has spent several days grieving and joking about the death of his cat, didn't grasp their significance. But the mainstream press didn't seem interested, either.

DiGenova told me he believes there has been a "war between the White House and the CIA over intelligence" and that the agency, in the Wilson affair, "was using the sort of tactics it uses in covert actions overseas." One has to consider the implications of this statement. It means that the CIA was using Wilson for the purpose of undermining the Bush Administration's Iraq policy.

If this is the case, then one has to conclude that the CIA's covert operation against the president was successful to a point. It generated an investigation of the White House after officials began trying to set the record straight to the press about the Wilson mission. At this point, it's still not clear what if anything Fitzgerald has on these officials. If they're indicted for making inconsistent statements about their discussions with one another or the press, that would seem to be a pathetically weak case. And it would not get to the heart of the issue - the CIA's war against Bush.

One of those apparently threatened with indictment, as Times reporter Judith Miller's account of her grand jury testimony revealed, is an agency critic named Lewis Libby, chief of staff to Vice President Dick Cheney. Miller said that Libby was frustrated and angry about "selective leaking" by the CIA and other agencies to "distance themselves from what he recalled as their unequivocal prewar intelligence assessments." Miller said Libby believed the "selective leaks" from the CIA were an attempt to "shift blame to the White House" and were part of a "perverted war" over the war in Iraq.

Wilson was clearly part of that war. He came back from Niger in Africa and wrote the New York Times column insisting there was no Iraqi deal to purchase uranium for a nuclear weapons program. In fact, however, Wilson had misrepresented his own findings, and the Senate Intelligence Committee found there was additional evidence of Iraqi attempts to buy uranium.

DiGenova raises serious questions about the CIA role not only in the Wilson mission but in the referral to the Justice Department that culminated in the appointment of a special prosecutor. At this point in the media feeding frenzy over the story, the issue of how the investigation started has almost been completely lost. The answer is that it came from the CIA. Acting independently and with great secrecy, the CIA contacted the Justice Department with "concern" about articles in the press that included the "disclosure" of "the identity of an employee operating under cover." The CIA informed the Justice Department that the disclosure was "a possible violation of criminal law." This started the chain of events that is the subject of speculative news articles almost every day.

The CIA's version of its contacts with the Justice Department was contained in a 4-paragraph letter to Rep. John Conyers, ranking Democratic Member of the House Judiciary Committee. Conyers and other liberal Democrats had been clamoring for the probe.

DiGenova doubts that the CIA had a case to begin with. He says he would like to see what sworn information was provided to the Justice Department about the status of Wilson's CIA wife, Valerie Plame, and what "active measures" the CIA was taking to protect her identity. The implication is that her status was not classified or protected and that the agency simply used the stories about her identity to create the scandal that seems to occupy so much attention these days.

But if the purpose was not only to undermine the Iraq War policy but to stop the administration from reforming the agency, it hasn't completely worked. Indeed, the Washington Post ran a long story by Dafna Linzer on October 19 about the "turmoil" in the agency as personnel either quit or are forced out by CIA Director Goss. Like so many stories about the CIA leak case, this story reflected the views of CIA bureaucrats who despise what Goss is doing and resist supervision or reform of their operations. Members of the press do not want to be seen as too close to the Bush Administration, but acting as scribblers for the CIA bureaucracy, which failed America on 9/11, is perfectly acceptable.

DiGenova's comments might be dismissed as just the view of an administration defender. But his comments reflect the facts about the case that emerged when the Senate Intelligence Committee conducted an independent investigation. Wilson, who became an adviser to the Kerry for President campaign, had claimed his CIA wife had no role in recommending him for the trip, but the committee determined that was not true. Why would Wilson misrepresent the truth about her if the purpose were not to conceal the curious nature of the CIA role and its hidden agenda in his controversial mission? And who in the CIA besides his wife was behind it?

In this regard, Miller's account of her testimony to the grand jury disclosed that Fitzgerald had asked whether Libby had complained about nepotism behind the Wilson trip, a reference to the role played by Plame. This is the line of inquiry that could lead, if Fitzgerald pursues it, to unraveling the CIA "covert operation" behind the Wilson affair. There may be rogue elements at the agency who are conducting their own foreign policy, in contravention of the official foreign policy of the U.S. Government elected by the American people. Like it or not, Bush is the president and he is supposed to run the CIA, not the other way around.

Fitzgerald has the opportunity to break this case wide open. Or else he can take the politically correct approach, which is popular with the press, and go after administration officials.

One irony of the case is that Miller is under strong attack by the left as an administration lackey when she didn't even write an article at the time noting Libby's criticisms of the CIA and the Wilson trip. Did her "other sources," perhaps in the CIA, persuade her to drop the story? We may never know because she claims that she got Fitzgerald to agree not to question her about them. But what she did eventually report, after spending 85 days in jail, amounts to an exoneration of the Bush Administration. Libby, Karl Rove and others obviously believed they could not take on the CIA directly but had to get their story out indirectly through the press. They got burned by Miller and other journalists.

Goss's CIA house-cleaning, of course, has come too late to save the administration from being victimized in the Wilson/Plame affair. Some officials could get indicted because of faulty or inconsistent memories. It is also obvious that liberal journalists are so excited over possible indictments of Bush officials that they are willing to overlook the agency's manipulation of public policy and the press. But if the CIA has been out-of-control, subverting the democratic process and undermining the president, the American people have a right to know. If Fitzgerald doesn't blow the whistle on this, the Congress should hold public hearings and do so.

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Cliff Kincaid is Editor of the AIM Report.

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Note -- The opinions expressed in this column are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions, views, and/or philosophy of GOPUSA.

[SaltyJoe]

Intelligence is overrated.

CIA, (guffaw) I sure am glad I never put in an application with these folks. I don't think I've got shoes comfortably fashionable to keep up with the grandma secretary politics. Seems like the agency was trying to put their own president into the White House the same way intel agencies try to manipulate other elections.

What works against these traitors is that they won't be so "fortunate" as those who double-crossed Clinton and got a quick (albeit brutal) murder in return. Heck, you didn't even have to switch loyalties for an execution--you just had to know or witness too much.

Wilson/Plame will probably get a close look at the inside of a federal prison cell unless they come clean before their other conspirators make a deal.

Maybe we should take a look at what other traitor/spys have faced for less treachery. Ames? Walker? Hansen? Where are they now?

[livius]

I think the thing that may have precipitated it was the Wilson publicity grab.

But a lot of people at the CIA had it in for Bush, and I suspect it was easy for them to pile on board. I think a lot of them had been looking for some way to get at him and this was their golden opportunity.

[advance_copy]

Elements of the CIA using their offices to influence American politics is uber corrupt and very dangerous.

[Quilla]

I believe Wilson, following instructions from the Clinton/Kerry camps, lied to undermine a President during wartime. The assistance given and credibility leant to Wilson by the mainstream media has weakened resolve and emboldened our enemies. The selling of books was merely gravy to the greater meat offered by the democrat smear machine. Joe Wilson is a traitor.

[Alberta's Child]

Interesting ping.

[livius]

Let me add that I think that Watergate would have happened sooner or later, under one pretext or another, too.

I think Bush was being set up for a fall from the very start, and the anti-Bush contingent had probably set other traps, too. But this one really took hold and gave them their chance because Wilson the publicity hound brought in that crucial factor: the press.

[Jim Noble]

some of those Watergate burglars were old CIA people -- let us not forget them. They brought down a president too, with the assistance of FBI's Deep Throat.

Ah, yes, the threat of digging up the "whole Bay of Pigs thing" if they were prosecuted.

If the Agency, or part of it, is after W, he'd better fight back.

[Mike Darancette]

Hmmmmm. Maybe I've been chain my tail thinking about things like memos, talks with journalists, who knew what and when and the other outward manifestations of l'afair Palme.

Maybe some flack at the CIA got himself or herself caught in a perjury trap.

[Kenny Bunk]

..... But the mainstream press didn't seem interested, either.

This is the most maddening aspect of this, Able Danger, Sandy Berger, Katrina screw-ups, and everything else. If it ain't gonna hurt Bush, we don't need to get the real story. So much for having holdovers in your administration. Got Bush more trouble than he needed to deal with.

Nothing on this planet is sadder than being a Republican in Washington looking for a job. Republican elected officials hire from the same list of Democrat hacks as do the Democrats themselves. Congressional staffers? Left-wingers to a man. PC Clymers. And more queers than a parade in the French Quarter.

[randog]

So much for having holdovers in your administration. Got Bush more trouble than he needed to deal with.

Got that right.

[Tolik]

Very Interesting!

This ping list is not author-specific for articles I'd like to share. Some for the perfect moral clarity, some for provocative thoughts; or simply interesting articles I'd hate to miss myself. (I don't have to agree with the author all 100% to feel the need to share an article.) I will try not to abuse the ping list and not to annoy you too much, but on some days there is more of the good stuff that is worthy of attention. You can see the list of articles I pinged to lately  on  my page.
You are welcome in or out, just freepmail me (and note which PING list you are talking about). Besides this one, I keep 2 separate PING lists for my favorite authors Victor Davis Hanson and Orson Scott Card.  

[Leroy S. Mort]

Previously posted Here. (just kiddin...hehe)

[Steve_Seattle]

"Elements of the CIA using their offices to influence American politics is uber corrupt and very dangerous."

On numerous other threads, lugsoul has repeatedly cited the finding of the three-judge panel in the Miller case that Fitz had accumulated overwhelming evidence of a "serious threat to national security." I still have a very difficult time believing that the Plame case would rise to that level if it were simply a case of her already-blown cover being further compromised by the leak. I see no threat to national security in that, not even close. But the judges' language would certainly be judtified if Kincaid were right and that this whole thing was engineered by the CIA to damage Bush.

[lugsoul]

"DiGenova believes" - "DiGenova doubts" and so on, and so on...

More punditry. Lots of folks speaking of that which they do not know. Until we see Fitzgerald's evidence, like the secret submission to the Court, it is all just speculation - whether educated or otherwise. I hope folks don't have to do too much backtracking when actual facts become known.

[lugsoul]

Timing...

Came in just under your post.

Okay, okay - I'll say it again: What is in those eight redacted pages of the court's opinion?

[Steve_Seattle]

The amazing thing is that the MSM - except for a handful of people like Sy Hersch - have completely laid off this angle, haven't even looked into it for the purpose of rejecting it. I guess the possibility of indicting a Rove or a Libby is just too exciting and appealing for them to have even considered the alternatives.

[CyberAnt]

Well .. I have seen a connection which the media is of course ignoring.

The Wilsons were long-time friends and fund raisers for the Clintons. I've said it before, but it bears repeating - when you trust your money to someone, you know everything about them. This theory lends itself to the distinct possibility Hillary KNEW EVERYTHING ABOUT VALERIE.

I still believe it was Hillary who convinced Valerie to suggest her husband for the fact-finding trip to Niger. The main reason I'm convinced of that is because Bill Clinton made a comment to Tony Blair - and it indicates that Bill knew what was going on with the Niger visit.

It was reported in a UK newspaper that when Hillary was on her world tour selling her book, she and Bill attended a social function in London, and Tony Blair was there. Some reporter overheard a portion of their heated conversation. It seems the comment from Bill was something like - if you don't drop your support for the Bush war, you will not be able to win re-election.

When I first heard that .. my ears perked up. Now, what did Bill know that might jeopardize Blair's ability to win re-election ..?? Right after that, Wilson's story popped up on the radar screen. This charge - that there was no evidence of Iraq trying to buy yellowcake - was a slap in the face to British intel - which was the evidence the president used in his SOTU speech.

If Wilson lied about Cheney's office sending him to Niger, and lied again about his wife not recommending him for the trip - then my assumption meter says he's lying about Niger too.

The democrats did not want to go to war in Iraq because too many of their friends were making money hand over fist through the oil for food program - and Marc Rich was a facilitator of that mess; or their friends were selling arms and other munitions to Iraq for an inflated price - which Iraq was willing to pay because these arms violated the Desert Storm surrender. If we went to war - the game would be over.

Even though Hillary voted to go to war - she did it specifically to try to prove she was strong on national defense. But .. she and her husband travelled the globe during the run-up to the war, and did nothing but bash-Bush and smear the good name of America.

Hillary had MOTIVE and OPPORTUNITY to stage the CIA mess. She knew Valerie and her husband as friends - and I believe the 3 of them hatched the whole scheme. The goal was - discredit Bush and "his war", and the democrats would win big in 2004 and return to power. In Bush's then weakened state, Hillary would have a chance of beating him.

But .. like everything Hillary touches, she made a fatal error. She revealed to Miller (or some other reporter) the lie that Valerie was a "covert" operative at the CIA - and that the Bush admin was targeting her because they didn't like the report Wilson had given about Niger. You can't get much more petty and absurd than that. But .. the sychophant media lapped it up and had Rove and Libby in prison before they had even testified to the grand jury.

If Fitz can't figure this out - he's not the golden boy everybody thinks he is. I mean .. If I can figure this out - good grief!

[roses of sharon]

Bingo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The NY media runs this country, and has for 40 years.

[Mrs Zip]

ping

[Mrs Zip]

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