Payback Time [Wilson/Plame CIA-WH-FBI Saga]

NewsMax ^ | September 30, 2003 | John LeBoutillier

[AntiGuv]

The burgeoning flap over the leaking to the press of the name of a CIA agent - a clear and serious violation of federal law - is a serious, serious legal and political problem for the Bush White House.

Let us explore the numerous implications:

1) The facts: In July two high level White House aides called at least six DC reporters - one of whom was Robert Novak - to 'slime' whistle-blowing former US Ambassador Joseph Wilson and his wife, by revealing that she, Valeria Plame, is a CIA agent.

2) The CIA is furious over the 'politicization' of the identity of one of their agents. CIA Director George Tenet has asked the Department of Justice to investigate and bring criminal charges.

3) Former Ambassador Wilson - once appointed by the first President Bush and the last US Ambassador to meet with Saddam before the 1990 invasion of Kuwait - believes it was G.W. Bush's closest political advisor, Karl Rove, who either made or authorized the 'sliming' phone calls. Wilson is so angry over this lawbreaking that he has called for Rove to be arrested and "frog marched out of the White House in handcuffs."

4) The Bush White House was angry at Wilson for writing a July 1, 2003 op-ed piece in the New York Times explaining his Administration-authorized investigation into the 'Saddam tries to buys uranium from Niger' story. After shooting down that tale, Wilson was shocked to see the President make the same claim in this year's State of the Union speech.

5) Now, here is a key question: who in the White House was so angry with Wilson for 'blowing the whistle' that they authorized these six phone calls? Certainly no one can believe that low-level aides would even know that Plame was a CIA agent let alone feel free to have a concerted 'leaking campaign.'

6) Clearly whoever orchestrated this anti-Wilson campaign was looking for payback - payback for having the temerity to challenge the veracity of the President of the United States. But their anger took them over the edge into lawbreaking. Who in this disciplined, top-down, well oiled White House would read Wilson's op-ed and slam his fist down on the desk and proclaim, "That bastard is going to pay! What do we have on him? Let's get it out there!"

7) Whoever authorized the Plame leak could possibly go to jail for this willful act of lawbreaking. And those who actually called the six reporters could also go to jail - unless they cop a plea and rat out others.

8) Preliminary reports are that there is a great dissension inside the White House staff over this leak. Many are described as 'disgusted' at the outing of Ms. Plame.

9) There is still the question of whether or not the Ashcroft Justice Department will honestly investigate the Bush White House. Already Capitol Hill Democrats are calling for an Independent Counsel to do this investigation. But that law expired and has not been renewed.

10) Meanwhile over at the Langley HQ of the CIA, there is much disgust over the way they are always made the scapegoats by this White House. After all, CIA Director Tenet had kept the African uranium tale out of the Cincinnati speech last October that helped escalate the case for a pre-emptive war against Iraq. But if heads don't roll over the Plame leak, you can bet that CIA will leak things of their own about the Bush White House.

11) Leaking and blackmail have always been a part of governing inside the Beltway. But it has been one of this Administration's unexplained curiosities why President Bush has kept Clinton's CIA Director - especially after so many massive intelligence failures: 9/11; our failure to get Osama; our failure to prove the existence of WMD before the war; our failure to get Saddam; and our failure to find WMD in the six months since the end of the war.

12) Many have wondered if Tenet has 'something' on the Bushes. Now many more are wondering who made those six phone calls - and who authorized them?

13) We need to reverse things: if the Clinton White House had sold out an active-duty CIA agent as 'payback' for some whistle-blowing article, we would be outraged. This crime is no less serious because it was done in a Republican White House.

14) Long ago, in a piece entitled "Bush's Achilles Heel," I wrote that this Bush's weakness was the entire mystery, secrecy and sometimes-illegality of the intelligence community. This Plame leak now threatens to become a huge story - involving lawbreaking, revenge, abuse of power and the inevitable cover-up. Plus the 10 Democrats running for President and the media are going to have a field day with it.

15) Yep, 'tis true: payback is a bitch.

[jimmccleod]

Again. Wilson's wife was not in the witness protection program. She was not a non-person who didn't exist. Wilson did not have deny that he had a wife, nor did she have to have an alias. The problem only arose because someone leaked the fact that this woman was an undercover CIA operative.

[PLMerite]

There's a difference between "employee," "agent," "operator," "asset," etc.

If she's an analyst, she's just an employee. The Community is generally mum on all the people who work within, so the CIA's reluctance to comment means very little.

I somehow doubt that the wife of an ambassador would be a covert agent anyway. An Ambassador's wife is high-profile, travels with a security detail and wouldn't be able to do any spooky stuff. The people who do agent work are the ones who tend not to get their pictures taken.

I'm curious as to when she started working for the Company, and if it was a reward for his service to Clinton, etc. Don't think that patronage jobs don't happen - look at Monica Lewinsky.

[willieroe]

Perhaps. Perhaps you're guilty of selective reading.

[jwalsh07]

You are so far behind the curve you can't even hear the train coming.

[GWfan]

"If it bleeds, it leads" is every news agency's motto. Fox wants ratings from everyone, not just pubbies. You are not the typical rat either. You actually are watching Fox News and are posting tidbits referring to this story. Meanwhile, (in the rest of the country) Mom and Pop democrat are watching the Cubs beat the braves. They aren't on FR like you are. Makes me even more suspicious of you.

I would hope, for your sake, that you are prepared for the leaders of your socialist liberal agenda to be taken down. It is far more likely that this is what will happen.

We shall see how long you last here.

[GailA]

Shouldn't the NEPOTISIM be investigated too. After all Plame suggested that HER hubby be hired for the job. And just how many 'gov't administrations are there in DC? State, Judicial, CIA, Legislative, Executive, Pentagon, just to name a few. Novak does NOT make clear which one it is. He DOES MAKE CLEAR that it was NOT the White House. Novak assumes that the entier population knows that there are different types of admin in DC.

What we tend to forget because we are "well informed" is that the general pop is not. Civics is no longer taught, thus most don't know how our gov't functions, much less that we have different branches each with their own admins.

[novice2]

This AntiGuv guy hasn't read Novak's denial and acts like he is in the know. Sheeeesh!

[jimmccleod]

And just how many 'gov't administrations are there in DC?

There is only one adminstration in Washington. That is the Bush administration. There are several branches of government. Judicial, Legislative, etc, etc. When Novak said that administration officials told him the story, he meant persons associated with the Bush adminstration. He never said they were not associated with the White House.

[vaudine]

"It's Newsmax, so it's probably pretty good." Not necessarily,, when it is LeBoutillier. Of all Newsmax reporters, I like/trust him least.

He frequently goes for the sensational at the expense of impeccable reporting. He is arrogant as any Dem. and is wrong many times, as he is here in the first paragraph. He reports as FACT that two high-level Admin people called at least six reporters. Novak, the original namer of Ms. plame says that isn'tso.
The Wash. Post said it was so and then back-paddled, which it would never do if it was, in fact, so.

All day today, people like Pelosi have been making dire accusations about this leak and the WH, and the Pres., presenting as FACTS all the inuendo and accusations, and speculations. It is just a tempest in a thimble (not big enough for a teacup) trying to evolve into Watergate with media help.

As for Le Bou's other factual missteps, he rehashes the 16 word bit, saying it came AFTER Wilson and the CIA notified the WH not to use this info. Jerk! The 16 words were based on British intelligence, and was so stated. The Brit's are still standing by their words. Wilson is a Dem. operative. Yes, some heads should roll, starting with George Tenet at CIA.

I'm still waiting for someone to VERIFY that this woman is more than a CIA analyst or office worker.

I just took a 800 mg Motrin for pain, but it has helped neither the pain in the butt that this sloppily or not at all researched article gives, nor has it helped the Damdem headache caused by Pelosi
et al.

About the investigation--this outing of a CIA operative was reported in July when it happened, and after CIA looking into it has been given to Justice, routinely, as have 50 to 60 other reports per year of security breaches. ROUTINE, people, routine.

vaudine

[novice2]

Hey, coward, why didn't you stay around and answer the forum?
"Payback is a bitch" you say


. . . then run home to mama.

[Let's Roll]

I say that Wilson outed his wife, as in "Ha, you think I don't know what's going on in Africa? My wife is CIA". He wanted to be taken seriously so badly that he used his wife.

[Palladin]

Nepotism is rife in D.C. It's the world center for "Power Couples". If they're not FedGov, they're Washington media.

It's the most incestuous town in the world.

BTW, I saw a shot of Wilson and the Mrs. all dressed up at a White House gala (must have been the Clinton's last days.)

Not exactly typical behavior of a deep cover operative.

I don't hold out much hope for the Wilson marriage...besides the May-December aspect, he's a big-mouthed jerk and she was stupid enough to marry him.

Another example of that oxymoron, "Government Intelligence".

[q_an_a]

I think that John is less than honest in his reporting and I don't take him to be a supporter of this Presidency. Just my opinion.

[Mo1]

This man served as an United States Ambassador to Iraq. Did he close his eyes to the rape rooms, the torture chambers, the mass murdering committed by Saddam, his spawn, his minions?

Apparently because Wilson doesn't think we should have gone into Iraq and removed Saddam

[dogbyte12]

Do you know what the deal between Wilson and April Gilespie was in 1990? April gets the blame for not being more forceful with Saddam. Where was Wilson in this?

[Palladin]

Y'all can email the Plame/Wilsons right here and ask all those questions:

http://www2.bus.orst.edu/students/P/PLAAK226/The_Plame_Family/Pictures.htm

[pierrem15]

What's your take on this article?

[breakem]

What was the final word on whether or not she told Saddam we had no concern if he went into Kuwait?