End of story.
Except for the little details.
Like what was Joe going to Niger for anyway?
And was he allowed to do so twice?
And why were there fake document produced twice that were discredited?
To hide the real documents.
It was a boondoggle both times. He got the USG to pay his way to Africa twice on alleged USG business. Valerie was able to get Joe the trips so he could conduct his personal business, probably in conjunction with his second wife, Jacqueline. Joe was only paid expenses, which leaves little audit trail and no written reports were required. These trips were contrived to assist Joe in his business and give him some additional cachet beyond being a former ambassador. It would be interesting to learn whether Joe just visited Niger during these trips and whether he conducted personal business while there.
And was he allowed to do so twice?
Joe and Valerie needed the money so they had to come up with a pretext to go to Africa on the USG's dime. Joe retired from the Foreign Service in 1998 after 23 years service, which would entitle him to a pension of about $50K a year. However, his first and second wives would be entitled to a piece of the pension by law. I have no idea what his alimony and child support payments were for his first wife and what his second wife received as part of their divorce settlement in 1998, but you can bet that they got something.
In 1998, Joe divorced his second wife, purchased an expensive home in Georgetown for $730,000, retired from the Foreign Service on probably around $35K (after his two former wives got their piece), which would mean that his USG salary went from around $120K to $35K, and he married Valerie all within six months. Something just doesn't add up.
And why were there fake document produced twice that were discredited? To hide the real documents.
I think all of this conspiracy stuff is nonsense. Follow the money. The two trips in 1999 and 2002 were about personal business. His consulting business was probably floundering. In late 2002 and early 2003, Wilson became a media commodity because of the lead up to the war. Initially, he was providing assessments on Saddam and Iraq due to his previous job as Charge' in Baghdad, the last time we had diplomatic representation in the country. Wilson then saw an opportunity to get a high ranking position in the Kerry administration by dredging up his 2002 trip and putting a political spin on it. I suspect that his personal consulting business and other jobs were not bringing in the kind of money he needed to support his lifestyle.
Using his more than 15 minutes of fame, Wilson has written a book and is cleaning up with speaking fees. It pays to be a political opportunist, just ask Dick Clarke.
Joe wrote that in Niger "I spent the next eight days drinking sweet mint tea". But I think this was edited by the Times. I'm sure Joe meant to write "I made a mint drinking and smoking a little tea. Sweet!"
There also seems to be a missing player within, somebody had to give cover and nod for this mission, and it had to come from people with authority and ability to orchestrated the theme.
I still contend that an elected liberal dim was involved from the beginning and still left to be exposed.