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End of an Affair [Plame]
Washington Post ^ | September 1, 2006

Posted on 08/31/2006 10:08:00 PM PDT by West Coast Conservative

Edited on 09/01/2006 5:56:51 AM PDT by Admin Moderator. [history]

WE'RE RELUCTANT to return to the subject of former CIA employee Valerie Plame because of our oft-stated belief that far too much attention and debate in Washington has been devoted to her story and that of her husband, former ambassador Joseph C. Wilson IV, over the past three years. But all those who have opined on this affair ought to take note of the not-so-surprising disclosure that the primary source of the newspaper column in which Ms. Plame's cover as an agent was purportedly blown in 2003 was former deputy secretary of state Richard L. Armitage.

Mr. Armitage was one of the Bush administration officials who supported the invasion of Iraq only reluctantly. He was a political rival of the White House and Pentagon officials who championed the war and whom Mr. Wilson accused of twisting intelligence about Iraq and then plotting to destroy him. Unaware that Ms. Plame's identity was classified information, Mr. Armitage reportedly passed it along to columnist Robert D. Novak "in an offhand manner, virtually as gossip," according to a story this week by the Post's R. Jeffrey

Smith, who quoted a former colleague of Mr. Armitage.

It follows that one of the most sensational charges leveled against the Bush White House -- that it orchestrated the leak of Ms. Plame's identity to ruin her career and thus punish Mr. Wilson -- is untrue......

Nevertheless, it now appears that the person most responsible for the end of Ms. Plame's CIA career is Mr. Wilson. Mr. Wilson chose to go public with an explosive charge, claiming -- falsely, as it turned out -- that he had debunked reports of Iraqi uranium-shopping in Niger and that his report had circulated to senior administration officials. He ought to have expected that both those officials and journalists such as Mr. Novak would ask why a retired ambassador would have been sent on such a mission and that the answer would point to his wife. He diverted responsibility from himself and his false charges by claiming that President Bush's closest aides had engaged in an illegal conspiracy. It's unfortunate that so many people took him seriously.


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Editorial; Foreign Affairs; Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: armitage; bullzogby; bush; bushhassers; bushlied; cia; cialeak; getbush; getrove; gotcaught; iraq; knewitallalong; lyingliars; makingitup; mediabias; misterplame; movealong; muchadoaboutnothing; nigerflap; nothingtoseehere; plame; plamebroiled; plamegate; plamenamegame; pravdaus; propaganda; retraction; smearcampaign; tempestinateapot; waronerror; washingtonpost; wilson; wilsondone; yellowjournalism
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To: hawkaw
I'm also waiting for the Washington post to point out that this undermines a key tenet of the "Bush lied" crowd (that the State of the Union speech Iraq-uranium link was all made up). Joe Wilson was lying,there really were inquiries by Hussein, so it wasn't made up by POTUS after all ...guess I may have to wait for a while. I hope the administration does some of this for them, and repeatedly repeatedly. The repetition by the media of misinformation, as has been done in this case, can NOT be undone by a single press conference or a couple of speeches, nor just by bloggers and radio hosts. (The people they reach already knew this). It needs to be laid out repeatedly so that Joe Sixpack hears it. But I'm afraid that the Bush administration seems to not recognize this.
181 posted on 09/01/2006 6:39:38 AM PDT by Tirian
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To: hawkaw

Gee, do you think they planted this story on page A20 (I believe) at the start of a holiday week-end on purpose??


182 posted on 09/01/2006 6:42:46 AM PDT by khnyny (Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few.- Winston Churchill)
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To: MJY1288

The damage is alredy done, the MSM did their hit and run, and now goes...OOPS.


183 posted on 09/01/2006 6:44:05 AM PDT by finnman69 (cum puella incedit minore medio corpore sub quo manifestu s globus, inflammare animos)
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To: zerosix
...they continue to insist that even though no one in the Bush inner circle did anything at all wrong, all of this could have been avoided had the President listened to him rather than Cheney, Rumsfeld, et al.

I think Armitage has just proven how unwise it would be to listen to him about anything at all. I mean, he sat there for years knowing the truth, all the while allowing his colleagues to be damaged by the big lie.

184 posted on 09/01/2006 6:44:27 AM PDT by alnick
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To: khnyny
Gee, do you think they planted this story on page A20 (I believe) at the start of a holiday week-end on purpose??

Oh, absolutely not

185 posted on 09/01/2006 6:45:33 AM PDT by hawkaw
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To: khnyny

... sarcasm off ....


186 posted on 09/01/2006 6:46:37 AM PDT by hawkaw
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To: AmeriBrit; Mo1; Peach; Txsleuth; Howlin; Grampa Dave; Lancey Howard; Enchante; nopardons; ...
I'm with you .. and that would probably take out dozens of "mediots" and DNC pols and operatives who've been on this despicable "Slime W" mission. Shameless, disgusting lot!

An example of the filth that's been permeating newspapers, talkshows and talking points, and Rat activities .... all to skew the public's opinion and perceptions of this good and honorable President, his administration, and the actions taken for our protection:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"This past weekend, we witnessed the indictment of I. Lewis Libby, the Vice President’s Chief of Staff and a senior Advisor to President Bush. Libby is the first sitting White House staffer to be indicted in 135 years. This indictment raises very serious charges. It asserts this Administration engaged in actions that both harmed our national security and are morally repugnant.

The decision to place U.S. soldiers in harm’s way is the most significant responsibility the Constitution invests in the Congress. The Libby indictment provides a window into what this is really about: how the Administration manufactured and manipulated intelligence in order to sell the war in Iraq and attempted to destroy those who dared to challenge its actions.

As a result of its improper conduct, ..............."

BLAH BLAH BLAH

And, then there's Jason Leopold ...............

187 posted on 09/01/2006 6:47:05 AM PDT by STARWISE (They (Rats) think of this WOT as Bush's war, not America's war-RichardMiniter, respected OBL author)
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To: ChadGore

Will Chris Matthews admit he was wrong?


188 posted on 09/01/2006 6:47:18 AM PDT by finnman69 (cum puella incedit minore medio corpore sub quo manifestu s globus, inflammare animos)
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To: WOSG

Dont underestimate the liberal capacity for self-delusion.

@@@@

That is an impossiblity. Each time they drive a new theme which is lower than the last, they catch us by surprise. Even when we know they will do "anything" they shock us anew.

They are guerrila fighters and we are the principled but rigid soldiers in formation trying to withstand their attacks. It is really really really difficult.
I spend a lot of time praying, like I did as a kid during the Cold War.


189 posted on 09/01/2006 6:47:52 AM PDT by maica (9/11 was not “the day everything changed”, but the day that revealed how much had already changed.)
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To: STARWISE

Unbelievable. Never heard of this investigation.

I live in Chicago - Durbin is such a smarmy disgrace. Absolute scum.


190 posted on 09/01/2006 6:49:47 AM PDT by GianniV
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To: finnman69
Dont' forget, it's hit...poll...poll...hit....poll...hit...poll...poll...RUN!
191 posted on 09/01/2006 6:50:32 AM PDT by roses of sharon
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To: Torie

I don't give much slack to liars.

&&&&

Nor do I, but I also do not have any solid info on Libby's "lies" than what Fitzgerald said at his presser. I will await the trial for discovery of the facts.


192 posted on 09/01/2006 6:50:53 AM PDT by maica (9/11 was not “the day everything changed”, but the day that revealed how much had already changed.)
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To: Grampa Dave
I LOVE IT!
193 posted on 09/01/2006 6:51:47 AM PDT by STARWISE (They (Rats) think of this WOT as Bush's war, not America's war-RichardMiniter, respected OBL author)
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To: Cap Huff

WOW!!!!! Wilson is just another Clintoon stooge...........whodathunkit?


194 posted on 09/01/2006 6:51:51 AM PDT by MamaLucci (God Bless Our Troops)
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To: Semi Civil Servant
He should also explain at a press conference that Fitzpatrick should have never allowed this investigation to continue after he knew Armitage was the "leaker".

I would add that he should also publicly reprimand Fitzgerald for continuing the case for years after learning that Plame wasn't even covert to begin with.

195 posted on 09/01/2006 6:52:36 AM PDT by alnick
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To: finnman69

[Will Chris Matthews admit he was wrong?]

No, the slobbering fool will not. Chris is still waiting for Rove to be indicted(!)


196 posted on 09/01/2006 6:54:53 AM PDT by khnyny (Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few.- Winston Churchill)
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To: Bernard Marx

I have a campaign to educate today's readers of MSM. Always check the last two paragraphs for the facts. They will be printed there so the paper can not be attacked for omitting them. It really saves time when reading articles, as well. Today's writers and editors put their argument in the first 2 paragraphs, and the 5 Ws at the end.


197 posted on 09/01/2006 6:54:58 AM PDT by maica (9/11 was not “the day everything changed”, but the day that revealed how much had already changed.)
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To: MJY1288

Wilson & Plame: Your 15 minutes have expired.


198 posted on 09/01/2006 6:56:07 AM PDT by aculeus
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To: MJY1288
Unaware that Ms. Plame's identity was classified information, Mr. Armitage reportedly passed it along to columnist Robert D. Novak "in an offhand manner, virtually as gossip," according to a story this week by the Post's R. Jeffrey.

Yeah ... Armitage is just a big ol' fuzz ball type of guy ... no harm meant, just passing on some idle gossip. Yet this same rag ... when they were attributing the Plame leak to senior WH sources were gnashing their teeth in a frenzy of fury.
This editorial in the Washington Post signals reality has set in ... we now must put all this behind us and move on ... rest assured little, or nothing more on the Plame story will grace the pages of this liberal rag.

199 posted on 09/01/2006 6:56:29 AM PDT by BluH2o
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To: Semi Civil Servant

President Bush should pardon Scooter Libby now and save him from further legal expenses. He should also explain at a press conference that Fitzpatrick should have never allowed this investigation to continue after he knew Armitage was the "leaker". Then he should pardon Armitage, Fitzpatrick and Colin Powell to imply that they may have been the real law breakers in this preposterous investigation. They all certainly wronged Scooter Libby.

&&&&

What terrific suggestions! We should send them to the White House en masse.


200 posted on 09/01/2006 6:58:44 AM PDT by maica (9/11 was not “the day everything changed”, but the day that revealed how much had already changed.)
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