October 30, 2005

a distinct and disturbing pattern of behavior...

A reader sends:

Unfortunately (or perhaps a blessing) the NYT op-ed pages are now by subscription only, so there is no easy way to link. But get a load of this claim they make for the Federal indictment. [link]
Supporters of Mr. Libby, known as Scooter, have attempted to describe the Wilson case as, at worse, a matter of casual gossip by Washington insiders about the wife of a man in the news. But the indictment does not describe a situation in which people accidentally outed someone they did not know was a covert officer. It describes a distinct and disturbing pattern of behavior among very high-ranking officials, including Mr. Libby and Vice President Dick Cheney, who knew that they were dealing with a covert officer and used their access to classified information in a public relations campaign over the rapidly disintegrating justifications for war with Iraq.
This is totally false. Here is the Fitzgerald quote:

Q: Did Libby know whether Valerie Wilson's identity was covert?
A: ...We have not made any allegation that Libby knowingly/intentionally outed a covert agent.

Actually, we do have a "a distinct and disturbing pattern of behavior among very high-ranking officials." But they are officials at the CIA and the major newsmedia, who collaborate closely in leaking and publishing classified information in order to undercut the elected government of the US. Or in Wilson's case, leaking lies that were the exact opposite of classified info! I bet this Times story never got around to mentioning that we now know that Wilson was a total liar, and that we know from the 9/11 Report that he reported to the CIA that Iraq probably did try to buy Uranium from Niger. The exact opposite of what Wilson wrote in his famous NYT Op-Ed, which is a large part of the "Bush lied" lie.

The CIA and the NYT are on the other side, in the war we are in. The are engaged in a campaign of disinformation and leaks of classified information, to undercut and sabotage our country in time of war. The word for that is treason..

Posted by John Weidner at October 30, 2005 05:36 PM
Comments

"The CIA and the NYT are on the other side, in the war we are in. The are engaged in a campaign of disinformation and leaks of classified information, to undercut and sabotage our country in time of war. The word for that is treason.."

Amen. The sooner people figure that out the safer we'll be. Some of the CIA/State Dept. problems can be traced to the 2000 election bs. The month or two spent keeping Gore from stealing the election delayed preparations for turnover. Bush didn't clean house like he should have.

Posted by: LargeBill at October 30, 2005 08:00 PM

Great take on the topic John! Joe Wilson was not just a leaker, he was and is a liar too. He knowingly used his wife's "covert" status as cover for his own sniping at the administration. He basically dared them to name her. For him it was win-win. If they didn't "out" her, his story would be believed and he'd be a hero. When they id his story was beleived, the Bushies became villians and he became a victim and a hero. Hmmm.

Posted by: John Byrnes at October 31, 2005 10:31 AM

One blog suggested this might be a plot by the evil mastermind Carl Rowe. Carl deliberatly had Libby lie or misstate. Why? With no indictment the grand jury proceedings remain secret and we might never find out what went on. With the indictment of Libby, his lawyers can subpoena, have discovery, depose people, and call witnesses to testify in open court. I eargly await the trial.
Ray

Posted by: Ray at November 1, 2005 10:32 AM

That's a good thought. I would guess that much of the pre-trial maneuvering will be over the scope of the trial, and what evidence is relevant. Things may or may not get very interesting...

Posted by: John Weidner at November 1, 2005 12:01 PM

Ah, but this afternoon the Dems in the Senate invoked that closed session rule and are trying to persuade their colleagues it's time to actually impeach Bush...they're following a script here, even though they didn't get the Karl Rove indictment they wanted as the kickoff to this "coup du theatre", they are stuck with the script and the show must go on. I think we need to recall, impeach, shoot, hang, draw and quarter most of the Democrat leadership...they are playing to the groundlings of MoveOn, KosKids, and the Democratic Underground, and the rest of the country should not put up with it.

Someone has made the call that it's time to avenge the impeachment of Bill "Slick Willy" Clinton for the blackmailable high crimes and misdemeanors and conduct unbecoming the leader of the free world.

This is also their chance to stymie the appointment of Judge Alito to the Supreme court without playing the losing "filibuster" hand and try to tar the Republican party in general prior to the 06 elections...it's a thoroughly planned script...we'll see how it plays in Peoria.

Posted by: Doug in Colorado at November 1, 2005 02:45 PM
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