Time to Apologize to Plame/Wilson

[Octafish]

Robert Parry brings up an important point:

Time to Apologize to Plame/Wilson

By Robert Parry
October 31, 2007

During the scandal known as “Plame-gate,” it became an article of faith in many Washington power centers that CIA officer Valerie Plame Wilson wasn’t “covert” and thus there was no “underlying crime” when the Bush administration intentionally blew her cover.

This view was pushed not only by right-wing acolytes of George W. Bush but by leading media outlets, such as the Washington Post editorial page, which championed an argument from Republican lawyer Victoria Toensing that the CIA-headquarters-based Plame wasn’t covered by the Intelligence Identities Protection Act of 1982.

In statements on TV, in the Post’s Outlook section and before a congressional committee, Toensing argued that the law defined “covert” CIA officers who got legal protection as those who “resided” or were “stationed” abroad in the previous five years.

SNIP...

For his part, Bush pretended to want a full investigation, declaring in September 2003 that he was determined to get to the bottom of who blew Plame’s cover. In reality, however, the White House never undertook even an administrative review to assess responsibility for the leak.

James Knodell, White House security office director, later told Congress that no internal security investigation was performed; no security clearances were suspended or revoked; no punishment of any kind was meted out even when Rove later acknowledged that he had helped reveal Plame’s classified identity.

CONTINUED...

http://www.consortiumnews.com/2007/103107.html

It's a wonder Corporate McPravda prints any truth at all, let alone an apology.

[NanceGreggs]

1. As always, those who are still ragging on ...

... the 'she wasn't covert' meme miss the obvious point.

I think it's safe to assume that the minute Plame's 'outting' story broke publicly, and blame was aimed at the WH, Bush (being the preznit and all) could have clarified her status with one phone call.

He then could have announced immediately that he'd been assured she was NOT a covert agent - therefore, end of discussion.

But we all know that didn't happen - and that if he DID inquire into her status, her covert position was confirmed.

So for those who still believe she was not covert and therefore incapable of having her cover blown, the obvious questions remains: Why did the administration allow this entire matter to drag on for years, with all of the attendant negative publicity, when the entire mess could have been avoided altogether from day one?

Idiots.

[BOSSHOG]

4. limbaughs metamorphosis was so telling

He went from "she's a partisan insignificant desk jockey who hates bush" to "nobody knows if she were covert." That occurred after there should have been no doubt even in the closest of minds that she in fact was a patriotic covert operative. limbaugh blathered on about there is no way anyone could have known. Wow, he and his kind knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that she was not. I guess those conservative values prevent someone from being a man, standing up and admitting you are wrong.

[NanceGreggs]

6. And you've just raised another obvious hole ...

... in the story, which no one ever comments on.

Plame was referred to as "an insignificant desk jockey", a "glorified secretary", a "nobody file clerk" - and yet, in the same breath, they discuss at length the fact that SHE was the one who appointed her husband to the yellow-cake mission in Africa.

Again, no one ever commented on the obvious: If she were just a "glorified secretary", how or why would she have had any input whatsoever into such an important mission involving national security?

I guess that was something she did between filing papers and making coffee for the office.

[BOSSHOG]

8. And I asked the question

to wit no "patriot" could answer: If there were no underlying crime, why did libbby HAVE to lie?

A rational human being would think that when a "patriot" discovered the truth about Ms Plame's status we'd see some real red white and blue outrage.

[NanceGreggs]

9. So true ...

Libby lied, was charged and sentenced; Bush promised to launch an internal investigation, the negative PR was flying all around the place - and yet, according to the Bushbots, Plame was NEVER covert to begin with.

So why did all of this go down, then?

[H2O Man]

2. Right.

The CIA would not have referred it to the Justice Department if she were not covert. The Justice Department's counterespionage group could not have taken it, and requested an FBI investigation, if she were not covert. And Mr. Fitzgerald could not have conducted the federal grand jury investigation, were she not covert.

But the administration's puppets will continue to tell their lies. They have to, because they are not willing to give up what it is that they are trying to protect.

[PRETZEL]

12. it's that as well as the domino effect

once that fallacy is admitted to the whole house of cards becomes exposed.

[me b zola]

16. Exactly

...And who did Fitzgerald go to to confirm Plame's covert status---the CIA. Yet in the immediate talking head coverage following Fitzgerald's press conference where he clearly states Plame's status was covert according to the CIA, gop operatives were spinning in direct contradiction to what Fitz had just said.

[Kurovski]

3. K&R. (nt)

[SoCalDem]

5. Right wingers NEVER apologize

as close as they ever come to an apology is the standard "I'm sorry if you were offended"..


They have achieved their dominance in the public "infomedia" business, by NEVER backing down and never apologizing.. they will not change anytime soon.

Total humliation is the only language they understand, and even then ..they just disappear for a while and then come charging back..angrier than ever..

[sicksicksick_N_tired]

7. They'll never admit they were wrong. An apology is an admission.

Moreover, they'll never open the door to the possibility that this administration actually outed one of our CIA agents, a very serious crime according to Bush Sr. (himself former CIA who asserted that outing a CIA agent amounts to treason of the highest order).

An apology would open that door wide open. Loyalists would never EVER do something like that, EVER!

[jcla]

10. No Apology for Plame... No aplogy to us for No WMDs or Torture...

They are taking the Nixon route following his resignation over Watergate... they are right only in their own minds so no apologies are due... and if one is given it is recanted immediately after and not even acknowledged.

High Crimes and Misdemeanors abound... They can impeach Bill for an affair of the .... but not Bush and CO for torture, spying, outing our agents and lying on massive scales...

[Cha]

11. You know what this shows..

"During the scandal known as “Plame-gate,” it became an article of faith in many Washington power centers that CIA officer Valerie Plame Wilson wasn’t “covert” and thus there was no “underlying crime” when the Bush administration intentionally blew her cover."

It shows how fooking stupid the Washington Power centers are..they need some new kinda Power in Washington!~

[DemReadingDU]

13. evening kick

[mainer]

14. I'm reading Plame's book now. It's fascinating.

What surprised me most is how many CIA NOC's seem to be women. Plame writes about going overseas with a female co-agent.

she also mentioned that in her training class, about 2/5 were women. And that her experience in a sorority was a big plus in giving her the skills to cultivate contacts and recruit agents.

So now I wonder if we aren't recruiting in the wrong places. We should be bringing in more sorority gals!

[bobthedrummer]

15. k&r

IMPEACH CHENEY FIRST-IMPEACH CHENEY NOW!
:patriot:

[seemslikeadream]

17. Toensing

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=7328827871901667430&q=Toensing&total=18&start=0&num=10&so=0&type=search&plindex=1