Valerie Plame is on the hot seat;
Former CIA officer Valerie Plame should explain "differences" in her various accounts of how her husband was sent to the African nation of Niger in 2002 to investigate reports Iraq was trying to buy uranium there, the vice chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee said.Plame's differing versions have furthered "misinformation" about the origins of the case that roiled Washington beginning in July 2003, said Sen. Kit Bond, R-Mo. Plame gave those accounts to the CIA's inspector general, Senate investigators and a House committee in March.
A February 2002 CIA memo released last week as part of a study of pre-Iraq-war intelligence shows that Plame suggested her husband, former State Department official Joseph Wilson, for the Niger trip, Bond said. That "doesn't square" with Plame's March testimony in which she said an unnamed CIA colleague raised her husband's name, Bond told USA TODAY.
As an aside, witness this blatant attempt at misdirection by USA Today;
Plame's identity as an undercover CIA operative was revealed after Wilson accused the Bush administration of ignoring his Africa findings. The disclosure of Plame's status led to a federal investigation that culminated in former White House aide Lewis "Scooter" Libby's conviction on charges of perjury and obstruction of justice.
"Scooter" Libby wasn't accused of disclosing Plame's status, nor was he tried for that.
The leak was the work of Richard Armitage. Unsurprisingly, his name seldom appears in these news items (including this one), since it undermines the mythology that the leaked info about Plame was a deliberate plot by a vindictive White House. Armitage was part of the Colin Powell camp.
Despite the fact that Patrick Fitzgerald was aware that Armitage was the source early in his investigation, he was never charged.
So, whats the significance of this Kate? Since so many of your readers rely on your analysis of the issue, please tell them all how they should feel about this.
I think that continuing to cover stories like this is a blatant effort to discredit Plame (who was actually the victim here) to take pressure off of the white house goons who did want her fired.
You can try to get Cheney by on technicalities, but everyone with a functioning brain knows it was him who gave the orders to out her. As long as there is no paper trail, I guess it didn't happen for you, right?
I note you haven't actually contested any of the information I've provided or the validity of the sources, but you claim Cheney "gave orders" to Richard Armitage to "out" Plame?
Do you have a source for that?
And do elaborate on when exactly it was that Richard Armitage became an advocate for the Bush Whitehouse. Because apparently you have information at your disposal that has been kept secret even to Washington insiders.
"...this is a blatant effort to discredit Plame (who was actually the victim here)..."
Posted by: Throbbin at May 31, 2007 11:01 AM
If you had followed events closely, and understood the subtleties of Plame's various testimonies and statements, you would understand that it is Plame that has actually discredited herself. Hence the call for hearings. This is one spy who should have been left out in the cold, forever.
Unfortunately for her there may exist a paper trail that will unravel her claims. Might disrupt her cocktail circuit in DC, where she flitted around, *undercover* and *invisible*: well, except for that inclusion of her (by her husband) in "Who's Who".
The MSM continues to attempt to cover her tracks for her. It's the only way their version of the *story* fits.
As an aside: "...Bond told USA TODAY"
How ironic. The name is Bond..... James Bond.
Just more evidence that the MSM for the most part is engaged in an all out war of disinformation against the interests of conservativism and the general publics right to have full and timely information.
Yeah, OMMAG - thats what it is - the MSM (as agents of the far left SP's) are in an all out war, you nailed it buddy. Damn, how were we found out so easily?
Kate - I understand it will serve you and those who share your view of the world well to discredit and marginalize Valerie Plame.
To me the fact that she may have suggested her husband for the job (which I do not dispute) is secondary. To folks who believe what was done to her was just, it is convenient and allows people to say "Well, she was a bad person, so the bad things done to her aren't so bad now".
And no, I do not dispute the fact that Scooter "Don't Drop the Soap until Bush Pardons Me" Libby was not charged for outing Valerie Plame - but I would think that a thoughtful and intelligent person like you would be able to connect the dots. Let me help you.
No one has been charged specifically for leaking Plame's identity. "Scooter" Libby, Vice President Dick Cheney's Chief of Staff, however, was charged with covering up facts about his role pertaining to the leaks. The five-count indictment of Libby included obstruction of justice (one count), making false statements (two counts), and perjury (two counts). On March 6, 2007, Libby was convicted of four of the five counts. He was acquitted on one count of making false statements (see United States v. Libby).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valerie_Plame
So I guess Scooter was just....ummm....let's see here....ummm....well, we know he was absolutely not following orders from his boss. Oh no, that would be wrong!
Throbbin - you offering to "help" Kate is like the blind person helping someone with site to cross the street. You're coming off sounding like a patronizing jerk. You could at least come to the obvious conclusion that Plame and Wilson had an agenda. But then, lefties have a hard time with that one.
plame was a desk jockey at langly. the whole bs about outing her was just that, bs. political positioning to try to damage the bush admin. it has been constant for seven years now and will continue until bush leaves office. the only thing i feel anymore re liberals and all associated with them is bloody anger. stupid people doing vile stupid things
Let the left cling to this story as long as possible. It's not really going anywhere...