The Wilson War Continues [CIA/FBI investigate White House]

Time Magazine ^ | September 27, 2003 | Timothy J. Burger

[LPM1888]

I have been tracking this story for a long time and nothing I have seen indicates that Wilson or his wife did anything illegal. In fact Wilson said he believes an inquiry from Cheney's office launched his eight-day mission to Niger in February 2002 to check the uranium claim, which turned out to be based at least partly on forged documents. "The way it was briefed to me was that the office of the vice president had expressed an interest in a report covering uranium purchases by Iraq from Niger," according to Wilson.

Wilson was acting U.S. ambassador to Iraq during the run-up to the Persian Gulf War of 1991. He was in the diplomatic service from 1976 until 1998, and was the Clinton administration's senior director of African affairs on the National Security Council. He is now an international business consultant. Wilson said the mission to Niger was unpaid except for expenses.

"There is a whole group of intelligence analysts who have spoken anonymously to the press about such things as pressure they felt when Cheney and others may have come out there," Wilson said. "They have not attached their names to their stories, and this is clearly designed to let them know that if they were to come out publicly or if they were to respond to the various congressional statements that they wanted to hear from these people in hearings, that they can expect the same thing from the White House."

It appears that someone at the White House leaked Wilson's wifes name to the press to keep other CIA personnel from coming forward with information that was potentialy damaging to the Bush Administration.

If Novak's account is accurate, the leak was part of "a deliberate attempt on the part of the White House to intimidate others and make them think twice about coming forward."

But the people at the White House who leaked her name to the press violated two different laws concerning the release of classified material and the names of undercover agents. Those laws provide penalities of $50,000 in fines and 10 years in jail.

It has been said that the leaks not only put an agent's life in danger, but many of that agent's sources and contacts. In other words some of the CIA's undercover operatives around the world have had their careers ended and their lives endangered.

If these stories are true then someone at the White House has committed treason.

Since the Director of the CIA, George J. Tenet has requested an investigation of the White House by the Justice Department then it appears the stories are probably true.

[dogbyte12]

I wonder if they get caught (not likely), would each leak to each of the 6 journalists constitute a different 10 year sentence, or because it was the same issue, same person, would it just be 10 years in the slammer?

I am curious about the fact that there are two people here, working in concert. What is that all about? The best way to keep a secret is to keep it to yourself. If the heat turns up, one might roll on the other for leniency.

[AntiGuv]

It's fairly evident from the Washington Post revelations that the identity of the White House officials is widely known at this point (even the WP knows, since the names couldn't be revealed "for the record").

Let me put it this way. The investigation has already been completed to the CIA's satisfaction (that's why this issue has simmered behind the scenes for three months). The FBI's involvement is only a required formality because the CIA is not legally authorized to conduct domestic operations...

[LPM1888]

Tenet is not going to file some damaging charges against the White House, which has given him just about everything he has asked for. Nope.

Then why did he request the Justice Department to investigate the White House? Those are potentialy some very damaging charges.

[Denver Ditdat]

Are you *ACCUSING* President Bush's *CLOSEST* advisor of being a *CRIMINAL*?

*WHAT* the *HECK* is with all the *ASTERISKS* and *CAPS*? Do you run *YOUR* posts through a *SCRIPT*, or do *YOU* type *EACH* one this way?

[jbstrick]

"A senior administration official said two top White House officials called at least six Washington journalists and revealed the identity and occupation of Wilson's wife."

Damn you can get any more specific than that... /sarcasm

[AntiGuv]

The "senior administration official" will refer to a cabinet secretary or agency director; the "top White House officials" refers to any one of Karl Rove, Andy Card, Condi Rice, or Ari Fleischer (people forget Ari was still there).

[LPM1888]

Ambrose isn't the one doing the accusing. You should read this article from the Washington Post.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A11208-2003Sep27.html

[AntiGuv]

Any two of Rove, Card, Rice, or Fleischer..

[CyberAnt]

I still say .. Bush will fire them .. very, very quickly if he believes them to be guilty. There is nothing Bush hates more than disloyalty.

I remember the day Bush took office, and he called all the WH staff together and he spoke very bluntly to them. These people can never say, "I didn't know". And .. I still think it will turn out to be Clinton leftovers - who have done it on purpose.

Never forget .. THE CLINTONS WILL DO ANYTHING TO DISCREDIT BUSH - ANYTHING!

[Lady In Blue]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I remember back 3-4 months ago,an article which indicated that the White Househad requested the FBI to investigate this! Does anybody else remember reading that?

[LPM1888]

I wonder if they get caught (not likely), would each leak to each of the 6 journalists constitute a different 10 year sentence, or because it was the same issue, same person, would it just be 10 years in the slammer?

Most likely it is $50,000 and 10 years for each offense. Probably served concurrently.

I am curious about the fact that there are two people here, working in concert. What is that all about? The best way to keep a secret is to keep it to yourself. If the heat turns up, one might roll on the other for leniency.

It indicates that this was clearly a planned activity with two people involved in order to provide credibility to the story. It also indicates that the CIA personnel that they were trying to intimidate by releasing the names had information that was much more threatening than a mere 10 year prison sentence.

You are correct, someone will over on the others to get a reduced sentence.

[AntiGuv]

I left out Lewis Libby - the Vice President's Chief of Staff. He'd also qualify as a "top White House official" (although media outreach doesn't seem like his forte). No one else immediately comes to mind as a possibility (there are several other "top White House officials" but none of them seem like any sort of likely suspect)..

[dogbyte12]

How close to this being leaked to Novak was Ari's retirement? Just curious.

[AntiGuv]

It would've been the week after July 5th, and Ari left July 14th.

[dogbyte12]

Ari announced he was going on May 20th though.

When did Wilson/CIA start to heat up though? We don't know the timespan between the calls to the 5 other journalists and Novak.

[marron]

Wilson lied about the Niger story. He lied when he said he investigated it, and he lied when he called the president a liar.

And since he was supposedly acting on behalf of the CIA, spilling the story to the press seems a little unethical if what he said were true. But of course, since it is not true, since he is lying both about the supposed "investigation" and the supposed results of the "investigation", that clears the brush from the ethical question.

Personally I have no axe to grind on Rove's behalf. If he broke the law, let him pay the price. But lets be clear about who and what Wilson is.

If the intent was to verify that Iraq was "seeking" uranium, that didn't require a trip to Africa, Iraq's trade mission to Niger was public information. That means that on the face of it Bush told the truth and Wilson lied. If the intent was to verify if a sale actually took place, why would you limit yourself to drinking tea in the capital? Wouldn't you follow the trucks, monitor the port, tap the communications, interview plant workers surreptitiously?

Wilson's visit was tourism. It was not an investigation. Another lie.

[AntiGuv]

FWIW, I personally agree with you.

[dsutah]

What are you saying? This "White House" leak? Heck no! Whose side are you on? Wilson's? I can't believe people like you! You go off on some allegation, and start accusing Karl Rove, before you have any evidence? Good grief!

Can't you see what they're doing? They're trying to drum up some 'scandal' to go after the Bush admin. for; when there isn't one! Never mind that they could invent one; just to have an excuse to impeach him for!

Do you hate Karl Rove, or the whole administration for some reason? If not, why are you cheering on some Clinton creature, trying to find something to get Bush administration on? This administration is constantly being accused of being so secretive; because they're not known to leak. And now you instantly assume, without any facts or evidence that they did in this case.

And not only that, it's always Karl Rove that you think did it! For heaven's sake! Are you anxious to see this administration go away, for some reason? I wonder what's in your head!

[MonroeDNA]

Wilson is the iced tea guy, right?