[Lady Heron]

No, nobody is treating this as if it is not a serious matter. All agree that the leaker needs to be found and prosecuted to the fullist extent of the law, if a law was broken (we are not sure she was an agent or just an analyst, we are not even sure if the reason the president and all feel it is a serious matter is because her name was leaked, or their focus is elswhere. We just know they see this as a serious matter).

But, the whole matter needs investigating. It is a very serious matter if the CIA has been used in some underhanded political plot against a presidential administration, no matter which party is using them. There are enough serious questions that need asking about the Wilsons and why he was sent in the first place, who sent him, and what were they wanting to accomplish by sending him. Which member of the CIA talked to the BBC. Why the CIA then allowed Wilson to talk about the trip to the press.

Your insistance that only the leaker is what is important here (which nobody is saying we should not look into) is really strange. Can you not see that there is more here?

[aristeides]

I think I'm in good company.

LEAK IS A 'CRIMINAL ACTION': BUSH :

October 7, 2003 -- WASHINGTON - President Bush yesterday said it was a "criminal action" for someone in his administration to leak the name of a CIA officer.

"This is a serious charge, by the way. We're talking about a criminal action," the president said.