Posted on 09/30/2003 9:24:15 PM PDT by kattracks
WASHINGTON -- I had thought I never again would write about retired diplomat Joseph Wilson's CIA-employee wife, but feel constrained to do so now that repercussions of my July 14 column have reached the front pages of major newspapers and led off network news broadcasts. My role and the role of the Bush White House have been distorted and need explanation.
The leak now under Justice Department investigation is described by former Ambassador Wilson and critics of President Bush's Iraq policy as a reprehensible effort to silence them. To protect my own integrity and credibility, I would like to stress three points. First, I did not receive a planned leak. Second, the CIA never warned me that the disclosure of Wilson's wife working at the agency would endanger her or anybody else. Third, it was not much of a secret.
The current Justice investigation stems from a routine, mandated probe of all CIA leaks, but follows weeks of agitation. Wilson, after telling me in July that he would say nothing about his wife, has made investigation of the leak his life's work -- aided by the relentless Sen. Charles Schumer of New York. These efforts cannot be separated from the massive political assault on President Bush.
This story began July 6 when Wilson went public and identified himself as the retired diplomat who had reported negatively to the CIA in 2002 on alleged Iraq efforts to buy uranium yellowcake from Niger. I was curious why a high-ranking official in President Bill Clinton's National Security Council (NSC) was given this assignment. Wilson had become a vocal opponent of President Bush's policies in Iraq after contributing to Al Gore in the last election cycle and John Kerry in this one.
During a long conversation with a senior administration official, I asked why Wilson was assigned the mission to Niger. He said Wilson had been sent by the CIA's counterproliferation section at the suggestion of one of its employees, his wife. It was an offhand revelation from this official, who is no partisan gunslinger. When I called another official for confirmation, he said: "Oh, you know about it." The published report that somebody in the White House failed to plant this story with six reporters and finally found me as a willing pawn is simply untrue.
At the CIA, the official designated to talk to me denied that Wilson's wife had inspired his selection but said she was delegated to request his help. He asked me not to use her name, saying she probably never again will be given a foreign assignment but that exposure of her name might cause "difficulties" if she travels abroad. He never suggested to me that Wilson's wife or anybody else would be endangered. If he had, I would not have used her name. I used it in the sixth paragraph of my column because it looked like the missing explanation of an otherwise incredible choice by the CIA for its mission.
How big a secret was it? It was well known around Washington that Wilson's wife worked for the CIA. Republican activist Clifford May wrote Monday, in National Review Online, that he had been told of her identity by a non-government source before my column appeared and that it was common knowledge. Her name, Valerie Plame, was no secret either, appearing in Wilson's "Who's Who in America" entry.
A big question is her duties at Langley. I regret that I referred to her in my column as an "operative," a word I have lavished on hack politicians for more than 40 years. While the CIA refuses to publicly define her status, the official contact says she is "covered" -- working under the guise of another agency. However, an unofficial source at the Agency says she has been an analyst, not in covert operations.
The Justice Department investigation was not requested by CIA Director George Tenet. Any leak of classified information is routinely passed by the Agency to Justice, averaging one a week. This investigative request was made in July shortly after the column was published. Reported only last weekend, the request ignited anti-Bush furor.
©2003 Creators Syndicate, Inc.
why was wilson an "incredible" choice?
you might want to check your talking points.
the current administration line is that the african uranium connection was NOT AT ALL "one of the most important allegations in Bush's State of the Union Address," which is why is was no big deal that it turned out to be bogus - er, i mean unconfirmed.
btw, wilson had served previously as a high ranking diplomat in both iraq and niger - maybe it was not such a strange choice, eh?
why *did* he mention her name?
it seems pretty pointless.
Last night on NIGHTLINE, Ted Koppel asked Wilson if his wife recommended him for the job. Slightly indignant, Wilson denied it, so Koppel said to him: Well then, did the CIA ask your wife if she thought you might take the mission to go to Niger, and she said "yes".
It was very obvious Wilson was playing word games, trying to make it appear he was handpicked for the job because of his unique capabilities, that his wife had nothing to do with him going to Niger, when it was perfectly clear that she did.
Koppel explained and Wilson confirmed that at some point in time, 2001-02, Dick Cheney's office asked the CIA to fill in the blanks, get more information, on whether or not Niger was selling yellow brick to Iraq. Wilson said specifically, Dick Cheney did not say to the CIA, send Wilson. Wilson said after the CIA received Cheney's request they proceeded to comply with his request, and in the normal course of business, the CIA asked Wilson's wife if she thought her husband might take the mission. At this point in the interview with Koppel, Wilson told viewers he was very knowledgeable on Africa, Niger in particular, he knew the people, knew all about the yellow brick industry, etc., so it made perfect sense that he would be the best one to check out the situation and report back to the CIA.
Wilson was very defensive when Koppel suggested Wilson got the job because of his wife, but you could tell he was spinning the truth to his advantage. Of course his wife got him the job!!
And when he got back, Wilson did not submit a written report. He told Koppel he got back, and a CIA staffer came to his house and took notes as Wilson prepared for another trip. (Wilson seemed to relish giving us the impression how busy he was, too busy to do a written report on his CIA mission to Niger.) blah blah blah
NEPOTISIM at work here.
Now that is funny. An unofficial source at the CIA just told us that her job description did not say Spy, Assassin, or Covert Operator – just Analyst. Damn, and to think everyone used to get all bent out shape with those KGB chauffeurs, KGB hotel maids and blind match sellers. The KGB could have easily shown that their Job Description did not say Spy or Covert operator and put everyone at ease.
I have to agree with your reasoning, there is definitely “no scandal period.”
Tony Blankley has a great article today about the GOP not understanding the methods and importance of "controlling scandal management" - I've sent it to key members of the WH - hopefully someone will read it and act. If anyone wants to also email the WH, try this site: http://capwiz.com/acu/dbq/officials/agencies/?id=4866&dir=acu&command=depresult&submit.x=18&submit.y=7
Tony Blankley has a great article today about the GOP not understanding the methods and importance of "controlling scandal management" - I've sent it to key members of the WH - hopefully someone will read it and act. If anyone wants to also email the WH, try this site: http://capwiz.com/acu/dbq/officials/agencies/?id=4866&dir=acu&command=depresult&submit.x=18&submit.y=7
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