[WL-law]

The fact that the administration used an ultra-liberal Democrat to do this investigation demonstrates that someone (perhaps someone at the CIA itself) did not do his/her homework.

Well, you're missing the point of the story. Wilson was not appointed by "the administration". He was sent off by a quasi-rogue operation, i.e., not cleared all the way through, and the decision to send Wilson was based on the recommendation of Wilson's WIFE, and before the decision was vetted the trip by Wilson was already underway.

After all, by Wilson's own statements, it was little more than a tourist visit with a few meetings over tea -- it wasn't an 'operation' in any real sense.

Wilson inflated the significance of his trip in his own mind, and the press took the bait.

[gaspar]

Nobody, especially a former Ambassador, appears in a country, has meetings with its leadership, reports back (to whom?), without the U.S. Embassy's knowledge. I am sure that there was cable traffic both before and after Wilson's trip between State, probably the CIA, and Niamey. Now, I happen to consider the CIA a part of the administration. Thus, if as you put it the visit was part of a "rogue operation" then a whole lot of heads should roll.