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Powell's halo knocked ajar
VirginianPilot ^ | 9-2-06

Posted on 09/02/2006 9:46:54 PM PDT by STARWISE

On July 14, 2003, a Robert Novak column in The Washington Post outed the CIA-agent wife of vociferous Bush administration critic, Ambassador Joseph C. Wilson. Thus was born the "Plame Affair" which quickly became a morality tale of how an out of control Bush Administration would do anything to justify its war in Iraq.

A mere three days later, journalist David Corn, summarized the allegations that would color reporting on the Iraq War for the next three years and eventually lead to the indictment of a top aide to the vice president for lying to a grand jury:

((((THE OLD DAVID CORN:)))"Now there is evidence the Bushies used classified information and put the nation's counterproliferation efforts at risk merely to settle a score. It is a sign that with the [Bush] gang, politics trumps national security."

Now we know the story is much more complicated.

In a book to be released next week, the same David Corn, of The Nation magazine and Michael Isikoff of Newsweek, reveal that the original leaker to Novak was actually a Bush administration insider who was opposed to the war in Iraq, but also suffered an irrepressible urge to gossip, then-Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage.

The reporting duo also reveal that when Armitage realized that he was the source of the leak, he came clean to Secretary of State Colin Powell.

Powell however, revealed the minimum amount of information possible to those outside the department. The State Department told the FBI of Armitage's role and informed the White House that they had given information to the FBI about the scandal, but nothing more.

The public learned nothing.

And as the investigation dragged on through 2004 and 2005, the Gallup Poll showed that a majority of Americans formed the opinion that Wilson's wife, Valerie Plame, was deliberately outed by the Bush administration as an effort to silence him and discredit his claim that intelligence was twisted to justify the war.

Reflecting that view, Wilson wrote, "The conspiracy to destroy us was most likely conceived - and carried out - within the office of the vice president."

All along, Secretary of State Colin Powell knew that the facts were more complicated, yet he said nothing. And he had rather unflattering reasons for silence.

At the time, the relatively dovish State Department and CIA were struggling with the office of the vice president and the secretary of Defense for the primary role in shaping Iraq and Middle East policy.

Every day that the vice president was smeared with the Plame allegations strengthened Powell's hand in the Bush administration's internal struggle.

None of this changes the fact that the public presentation of intelligence was shaped to fit the decision to invade Iraq.

Nor does it preclude the possibility that Bush administration officials went too far in trying to punish Wilson. However, the previously hidden role of Armitage does reveal that, in Washington, easy morality tales - where the good guys and bad guys come prepackaged and clearly labeled - are often myths.


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Crime/Corruption; Editorial; Foreign Affairs; Front Page News; Government; Miscellaneous; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: 2003; 200307; 20030714; 200609; armitage; benevolence; benevolenceintl; bif; bookdeals; bush; chrismatthews; cialeak; comeycoven; corn; davidcorn; fbi; fitzgerald; foggybottom; gambino; gambinofamily; gambinos; hillaryclinton; iraq; isikoff; karendeyoung; libby; mafia; matthews; michaelisikoff; mob; newsweek; novak; plame; plamegate; plamenamegame; powell; richardarmitage; rogerclinton; shadowgovernment; statedepartment; statedept; thenation; tonygambino; valerieplame; wilson
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To: MEG33

I hope this will be Colin Powell's legacy. . . lack of integrity. He worries so about himself. . . based on his actions he's more important than his country! This whole 'affair' resulted in our being perceived as weak to our enemies. I guess we'll have to count C Powell as one of the self-named 'elites' who support our enemies.


41 posted on 09/03/2006 4:38:21 AM PDT by SouthCarolinaKit
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To: Lancey Howard

The reporting duo also reveal that when Armitage realized that he was the source of the leak, he came clean to Secretary of State Colin Powell.

Powell however, revealed the minimum amount of information possible to those outside the department. The State Department told the FBI of Armitage's role and informed the White House that they had given information to the FBI about the scandal, but nothing more.

The public learned nothing.

I may be nuts, but this looks like a jump the shark attempt to make Powell look like a conspirator. Looks to me like he did what should have been done, and then kept his mouth shut, probably as directed. Ongoing investigation and keeping the mouth shut aren't known as virtues in the left's world. Now (he did the right thing?) they are twisting him... afraid he could come back and be an electoral threat to the left as a Black Candidate from the Republican Plantation for High Office.

42 posted on 09/03/2006 5:10:46 AM PDT by freema (Marine FRiend, 1stCuz2xRemoved, Mom, Aunt, Sister, Friend, Wife, Daughter, Niece)
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To: Lancey Howard

Basically, that they've had their nose rubbed in it and don't dare admit the left's dopes were roped.


43 posted on 09/03/2006 5:13:17 AM PDT by freema (Marine FRiend, 1stCuz2xRemoved, Mom, Aunt, Sister, Friend, Wife, Daughter, Niece)
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To: STARWISE
Democrats...remained worried about what kind of effort Mr. Rove might unleash in the closing weeks of the campaign.

ROTFLMAO! What a bunch of wussy losers!

44 posted on 09/03/2006 5:19:41 AM PDT by NewLand (Posting against liberalism since the 20th century!)
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To: STARWISE
None of this changes the fact that the public presentation of intelligence was shaped to fit the decision to invade Iraq.

This is simply amazing! They just believed in their black little hearts that intelligence was "shaped", but they couldn't prove it until Joe Wilson came along. HE was their EVIDENCE. He lied. End of evidence. But still they persist.

45 posted on 09/03/2006 5:21:03 AM PDT by Bahbah (Goldwasser, Regev and Shalit, we are praying for you...)
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To: Howlin; STARWISE
including former Secretary of State Colin Powell, Sen. Hillary Clinton and actor Samuel L. Jackson

No Republicans, I see.

My first thought was Samuel L. Jackson? Who invited him? But then again, his opinions are just as irrelevant as the other two.

46 posted on 09/03/2006 6:02:18 AM PDT by silent_jonny
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To: freema
Ongoing investigation and keeping the mouth shut aren't known as virtues in the left's world. Now (he did the right thing?) they are twisting him

Wrong!!! Fitzpatrick knew the truth would stop his investigation as there was nothing to investigate. Powell had absolutely no legal obligation to keep his mouth shut. He had a moral obligation to inform the White House when it became obvious that Fitzpatrick was on a witch hunt and Libby was not the leaker. Powell and Armitage's silence made them silent partners in a smear campaign against this administration. The fact that Corn and Isikoff knew two years ago also makes them silent partners in this smear.

I once was a great believer in Powell and wished he had run for President. My judgment of this man was in great error. He is simply another political whore in Washington.

47 posted on 09/03/2006 6:48:31 AM PDT by cpdiii (Socialism is popular with the ruling class. It gives legitimacy to tyranny and despotism.)
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To: cpdiii
Also the multiple times that Fizpatrick called Rove to testify was political theater to smear this administration. When Rove was being deposed Fitzpatrick knew it was Armitage.

Fitzpatrick was on a campaign to destroy an administration in a time of war. The weakening of the administration gives aid and comfort to those that are trying to kill our troops in Iraq. Fitzpatrick is pond scum!!!!!!!!
48 posted on 09/03/2006 6:54:27 AM PDT by cpdiii (Socialism is popular with the ruling class. It gives legitimacy to tyranny and despotism.)
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To: STARWISE
The WH needs to get out in front of this latest development in the 'Plamegate' episode. Bush's press secretary Tony Snow (who I understand is on vacation)needs to move on this ASAP.
49 posted on 09/03/2006 7:01:40 AM PDT by BluH2o
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To: cpdiii

I'm not saying you're wrong, nor am I saying I'm right. I'm just speculating. I think the left wishes like hell this is the end of it, but I don't think this is over by a long shot : )

As I posted, the article stated:

"The State Department told the FBI of Armitage's role and informed the White House that they had given information to the FBI about the scandal..."

I'm operating on a genius poker bluff, here. This, IMHO, is the poker game of the ages.


50 posted on 09/03/2006 7:12:02 AM PDT by freema (Marine FRiend, 1stCuz2xRemoved, Mom, Aunt, Sister, Friend, Wife, Daughter, Niece)
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To: STARWISE
When was the White House notified?
Who, exactly, notified them?
To whom was the notification given?
Was there a White House response to this notification?

I can't imagine Libby, Rove, et al jumping through all the hoops they did KNOWING where it originated from, having received notification from the Secretary of State.

Smells like a set up to me.


:O)

P
51 posted on 09/03/2006 7:39:45 AM PDT by papasmurf (Join Team 36120 Free Republic Folders. Folding@Home Enter Name:FRpapasmurf)
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To: attiladhun2
"Powell is obviously an elitist schemer with a penchant for betrayel. To think any us even thot of him as a presidential or VP candidate."

Now we can see that he may have a dark side. This makes him look jealous with, what else has he been involved in. His last few months with President Bush seemed strained.
52 posted on 09/03/2006 8:22:32 AM PDT by fabriclady
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To: STARWISE

How we take seriously the perjury charges against Libby when Patrick Fitzgerald lied to the American people and to the entire government of the United States?

The totality of Fitzgerald's actions surrounding this case was a deliberate fabrication.

Fitzgerald jeopardized our President during a time of war.

Fitzgerald lied to the American people.


53 posted on 09/03/2006 8:53:44 AM PDT by reasonisfaith (Leftists will never stand up like men and admit their true beliefs.)
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To: freema
Looks to me like he did what should have been done, and then kept his mouth shut, probably as directed. Ongoing investigation and keeping the mouth shut aren't known as virtues in the left's world. Now (he did the right thing?)

No sale. Maybe Powell "did the right thing" at the onset, but after a couple of years of watching Libby, Rove, and Bush twist in the wind I would say he's a backstabbing loser.

54 posted on 09/03/2006 9:22:46 AM PDT by Lancey Howard
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To: Lancey Howard

My jury is still out - see my post #50. I'm keeping in mind that I could be all wet, of course.


55 posted on 09/03/2006 9:32:27 AM PDT by freema (Marine FRiend, 1stCuz2xRemoved, Mom, Aunt, Sister, Friend, Wife, Daughter, Niece)
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To: freema
"The State Department told the FBI of Armitage's role and informed the White House that they had given information to the FBI about the scandal..."

You read this sentence carefully? State told the FBI about Armitage, but only told the White House that they had "given information" to the FBI.... State never told the White House about Armitage.

56 posted on 09/03/2006 9:41:52 AM PDT by Lancey Howard
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To: Howlin

Norfolk VA. Parent company owns the Weather Channel I believe.


57 posted on 09/03/2006 10:06:45 AM PDT by gusopol3
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To: gusopol3

Of course you are right!


58 posted on 09/03/2006 10:14:19 AM PDT by Howlin
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To: Miss Marple; All
You are exactly correct! But .. this statement you said really points out something important: "It is totally out of character for either Bush or Cheney to go after someone's family in any sort of political matter. It would be a lame sort of revenge, more in keeping with the pettiness of Clinton or Kerry."

Your statement points up the typical mode of operation by the dems/libs - "projection". The dems assume that Bush and Cheney would personally go after people because that's exactly what the Clinton or Kerry cabal would do. So nothing's changed about these people .. they are still "projecting" upon the GOP the very evil things that they themselves would do to the GOP - and try to do at every opportunity. I still say this was a HILLARY project.

59 posted on 09/03/2006 11:11:59 AM PDT by CyberAnt (Drive-By Media: Fake news, fake documents, fake polls)
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Joe Wilson's Perfidy

Joe took the Islamicists' side,
When he said that the President lied.
Since the Times spread Joe's tale,
Please put them in jail
And, certainly, Joe should be fried


60 posted on 09/03/2006 12:15:21 PM PDT by syriacus (Why wasn't each home in New Orleans required to have an inflatable life boat?)
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