Plame Out - The ridiculous end to the scandal that distracted Washington.

www.slate.com ^ | Aug. 29, 2006 | Christopher Hitchens

[neverdem]

fighting words
Plame Out
The ridiculous end to the scandal that distracted Washington.
By Christopher Hitchens
Posted Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2006, at 1:02 PM ET

I had a feeling that I might slightly regret the title ("Case Closed") of my July 25 column on the Niger uranium story. I have now presented thousands of words of evidence and argument to the effect that, yes, the Saddam Hussein regime did send an important Iraqi nuclear diplomat to Niger in early 1999. And I have not so far received any rebuttal from any source on this crucial point of contention. But there was always another layer to the Joseph Wilson fantasy. Easy enough as it was to prove that he had completely missed the West African evidence that was staring him in the face, there remained the charge that his nonreport on a real threat had led to a government-sponsored vendetta against him and his wife, Valerie Plame.

In his July 12 column in the Washington Post, Robert Novak had already partly exposed this paranoid myth by stating plainly that nobody had leaked anything, or outed anyone, to him. On the contrary, it was he who approached sources within the administration and the CIA and not the other way around. But now we have the final word on who did disclose the name and occupation of Valerie Plame, and it turns out to be someone whose opposition to the Bush policy in Iraq has—like Robert Novak's—long been a byword in Washington.

[Mind-numbed Robot]

My God. From that picture I'd say she was from the Calvery.

I call it "Pleasure Bent".

[billhilly]

"Nah...just a lot of time riding Bond, James Bond."

This is a very amusing place to spend time. Comedy writers could benefit by reading these posts.

[Mind-numbed Robot]

Anyone know who left first, Powell or Armitage??? And also Tenet....who was first??

Wasn't that Wilkerson guy, the real anti-Bush lefty who was all over the TV, also Powell's assistant?

[billhilly]

Is there any doubt left about why Powell was such a media darling? Conversely, is there any doubt as to why the republicans elevated him to the heights he enjoyed?

[xkaydet65]

The thing is, Pissikof and Cornhole intended this book to be a validation of the story. Instead, it has only served to confirm that Joe Wilson is a partisan hack. Not to worry, it will be circle the wagons time at the MSM before you know.......

They did get one thing right, the Title of their tome, Hubris. Only it refers to their HUBRIS. I wonder if they get it?

[bert]

Who says it's over?

I'm waiting for the October surprise that will devastate the left, draw real blood, put some teeth on the sidewalk.

W says...at a time and place of my choosing.

[neverdem]

Thanks for the info & links.

[Donna Lee Nardo]

"But there was always another layer to the Joseph Wilson fantasy."

Ha ha. Ain't that the truth.

[popdonnelly]

I am completely fed up and disgusted with the performance of the media and attorney Fitzgerald in this matter. Even by Washington standards, this is low behavior.

[liberallarry]

Despite my handle I haven't has a "side of the aisle" since 911...when I got really interested in politics.

Since then I've increasingly sided with Horowitz on academia and the media...but see no alternatives to free speech or to large news organizations which have the wherewithall to pay for serious investigative reporting.

Bias is inescapable. The only remedy is free speech.

[popdonnelly]

The Wilsons are just two examples of the self-absorbed types who go to Washington seeking fame and fortune. It's not surprising that they would lend themselves so thoroughly to this farce.

[mwl1]

And where does Scooter Libby go to get his reputation back, let alone salvage an otherwise distinguished legal and public service career.

Novak himself said last week that Armitage's failure to come forward for so long is a disgrace.

[Suzy Quzy]

WHY....WHY aren't ANY reporters. even BYRON YORK, covering THIS aspect...that's JOE WILSON's Business was YELLOWCAKE Procurement???

[mwl1]

They wanted to be insiders in the Kerry White House.

[liberallarry]

Nobody's smart enough to always be right, never be dumb.

It's hard to know the facts, hard to interpret them correctly, hard to avoid paranoia, hatred, self-delusion, wishful thinking, etc. Especially if politics is just your hobby, not a full-time occupation.

[popdonnelly]

"Absolute dead silence from the Drive-By media."

There was plenty of interest when they thought they could get the White House. Nobody is interested in pursuing Armitage or Powell. Which demonstrates again how the pursuit of the White House was motivated by opposition on the part of liberals and leftists to the Iraq war.

[srmorton]

Over the last few years I have come to love and appreciate Christopher Hitchens. He definitely "gets it" when it comes to the GWOT. He is also very fair-minded and was one of the few liberals that refused to give Clinton a pass for his misconduct in office. He is not afraid to stray from the liberal line if he really believes that they are wrong on an issue, such as "Plamegate". He made it his business to find out the true facts of the case and wrote about it brilliantly. This great article is just more of the same.

[pollyannaish]

Horowitz is doing us all a huge favor.

Ironically, for being so obsessed with protecting the first amendment, the left actually does a very poor job of it. LOL.

You and I agree completely on the remedy. The sooner we realize that all news/journalism is inescapably biased and begin to teach students to respect other POVs, even when we disagree...the media is in trouble.

I don't have a problem with disagreement. I have a problem with having opinions crammed down my throat as facts.

Thanks for the reply. I've always enjoyed your posts. Even when I didn't agree. ;-)

[popdonnelly]

"Do a Google search in News on "Richard Armitage" and see that this story has dropped off the radar like a lead balloon!"

Another disgraceful performance by the news media, which only exists to elect Democrats.

[Suzy Quzy]

Now WHY can't ANYONE report what you just wrote???? I don't get it!! Is there not any reporter left in America that writes FACTS????? Geesh!!

Tell the world about what AmeriBrit wrote, folks!! Telll your dopey liberal friends and relatives...print this out and hand it out to them!!