Cohen’s Clarification: Not A Serious Matter
By on Oct 18th, 2005 at 6:55 am
Cohen’s Clarification: Not A Serious Matter
In today’s Washington Post, Richard Cohen provides this “clarification” to his October 13 column:
A number of readers, some of them formerly of the CIA, got the impression from my last column that I don’t consider the outing of a covert employee a serious matter. I do.
How did anyone get that idea? From Cohen’s 10/13 column:
The alleged crime involves the outing of Valerie Plame, a CIA operative… Not nice, but it was what Washington does day in and day out…This is rarely considered a crime.
If Cohen thinks outing a covert operative is a “serious matter” he would support Fitzgerald’s criminal investigation. Instead he urged Fitzgerald, before the investigation is even complete, to “go home.” No further clarification is needed.
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Cohen is pathetic. He needs to go home.
October 18th, 2005 at 7:08 amHe conveniently forgot to include the real reason for outing the agent: for political vendetta and to cover up lies and to promote an agenda againast the best interests of the american people. rep498 is right: Cohen go home!
October 18th, 2005 at 7:41 amCohen, like so many other beltway insiders wants to have it both ways. As a journalist, to pussyfoot around the truth because it might get you in hot water or lose you access or simply because it’s the path of least resistance, only goes to show how little integrity the intitutions have. Where are the editors? Mainstream Washington jounralists, with very few exceptions, are nothing more than mouthpieces for the powerful. Cohen had little credibility before this article, less now. All from a guy that’s another member of Alterman’s “so-called liberal media”.
October 18th, 2005 at 7:45 amEvery journalist who has decried the “outing” of Ms Plame needs turn in their journalistic degree .Judy Miller that also means you as you have StoneWalled like you have been tutored by your real bosses the Bush Adminstration. Judy Miller knows damn well who gave her that info and Rumsfelds office gave her a special pass as her reward for supporting their assualt on America’s fears and invading a peaceful country. Journalists,TV personalities and Radio Hawkers all need to retake their elementary school civic course an relearn what it is to be an American and support this country in truth and be proactive in bring down a Corrupt President ,Pentagon ,Congress and Senate. Leave no Stone Unturned For the Cause. All Houses Must Fall down and on that note these so called Mega preachers must go…
October 18th, 2005 at 8:26 amPure, 100% right-wing hypocrisy.
October 18th, 2005 at 8:27 amIs Cohen bought and sold by the Administration too?
October 18th, 2005 at 8:39 amThe fact is that Plame is not covert and that is lost on you all.
Richard Cohen knows the trivial nature of this story.
October 18th, 2005 at 8:41 amMainstream Washington jounralists, with very few exceptions, are nothing more than mouthpieces for the powerful.
if you refer to anyone taking a paycheck from the State Corporate Media (SCM, pronounced “SCUM”), ‘very few’ equals “none.”
just sayin’
October 18th, 2005 at 8:43 am.
Richard Cohen demonstrates the reason people over 55 take Ginko Biloba. Time to retire.
October 18th, 2005 at 8:48 amThe false claims that Plame was not covert are based on the erroneous reporting that she worked for Winpac, the analysis group in the overt side of the Agency. In fact, she worked in a different organization in the covert (that means secret) side. Please try to keep up, you are growing tiresome.
October 18th, 2005 at 8:48 amCohen seemed to overlook one key point. If the administration won’t take care not to disclose the names of our agents, and in so doing, blow the cover of all the other agents that also worked with her in the dummy company that it probably cost the US millions of dollars to set up, who will? If nothing else, these guys should be an example so that the next administration doesn’t do something worse. Even if it is “just” lying to federal agents, normal people go to jail for it; they should at least go home.
October 18th, 2005 at 8:52 am“This is rarely considered a crime.”
CUT TO: Compromised, and often dead, intelligence sources.
Thanks for the utter nonsense, Cohenie! “You’re doing a heck of a job, Cohenie!”
October 18th, 2005 at 8:54 am#1 - Plame was not covert, since her cover was blown in the mid-1990s by Aldrich Ames. She was a desk jockey in Virginia, not a covert agent.
#2 - More than likely, Joseph Wilson told Judith Miller about his wife and her job because Joseph Wilson was concerned that the truth about how he went to Niger would get out. Miller then asked about Plame to some officials and that got to Bob Novak.
#3 - Bob Novak then mentioned her in a column.
As for your mention of Brewster Jennings, the White House had no role in mentioning that. Bob Novak did it when he mentioned that Plame was a Gore contributor. Plame’s employeement with Brewster Jennings was not a secret and I fail to see how any secret was disclosed there.
Conclusions..
#1 - Fitzgerald will find that nobody violated the IIPA.
#2 - Fitzgerald will indict Joe Wilson for talking about his trip to Niger while it was classified.
#3 - Fitzgerald will indict Plame for leaking classified info to the media.
October 18th, 2005 at 8:58 amGary Ruppert, your ignorance is almost beyond belief. Of course Plame is not covert *now*, you idiot - because Rove/Libby/whoever and Miller *outed* her. There is no doubt that she was covert before this happened, or do you have some super-secret “James Dobson” evidence you’d like to share with us? Morons like you have allowed the GOP to drive the country into the ditch, so please STFU unless you have something factual to add to the conversation.
October 18th, 2005 at 8:58 amGary,
Yes, in fact, Wilson was covert. That’s the whole reason for the criminal referral.
Or is the Bush Justice Department in the business of investigating the administration on patently bogus charges?
Talk about pathetic. Do you guys even try to think before you post?
October 18th, 2005 at 9:00 amGood conclusions, moron…will we see you back here when none of them come to pass? Nah…you’ll slink off to bloviate elsewhere where they haven’t yet discovered your mental illness.
October 18th, 2005 at 9:00 amGary,
Geez, your first post was bad enough. Now you’re just babbling wingnut nonsense.
Sure, Gary, Wilson will be indicted. And if buffalos had their wings back, they could fly.
October 18th, 2005 at 9:02 amGary Ruppert you ignorant slut.
Yeah Plame isn’t covert because they OUTED her… FOR REVENGE.
What part of that don’t you get?
If you’re such a Bushco believer, you should ENLIST. ONward Christian soldier.
October 18th, 2005 at 9:03 amUh, Gary, what is your source for the claim that Aldrich Ames blew Plame’s cover? From what I’ve read, it seems that the CIA was afraid that her cover was blown by Ames, but whether it was actually blown is probably dealt with in the (classified) damage assessment investigation of the Ames affair by the CIA. Are you telling us that you have access to that document?
A more interesting question is why you make this claim in the first place, if you don’t have reliable documentation. Are you purposefully and cynically trying to mislead people or are you just deeply stupid?
October 18th, 2005 at 9:08 amIf Plame is indicted I will vote GOP the rest of my life.
Surely the CIA is a credible character witness for Plame.
October 18th, 2005 at 9:09 amGary, I see your posts on many blogs, and I have come to this conclusion: Either you are a complete whackjob not grounded in reality, or I (all of us here) am. We are living in two different realities, and only one of them can be the “real” reality.
If what you posted above comes to pass, I will in all honesty be forced to reconsider my beliefs and reality, and I will post to that effect here. Will you agree to do the same if we are right?
I am dead serious, one of us is cuckoo, and I want to find out for sure who it is.
October 18th, 2005 at 9:09 amAgreed?
The reason why the CIA has filed charges is due to departmental procedure. This neither confirms nor specifically denies covert status and it is permitted by standard protocols.
The fact is that Plame was outed by Aldrich Ames in the 1990s. Therefore, nobody could have outed her in 2003.
October 18th, 2005 at 9:10 amI think Gary Ruppert’s head will be exploding some time later this week. The cognitive dissonance will have finally overwhelmed him, and the last remaining brain cells capable of reason and logic will have tried to escape, blowing his brain case in the process. The look of horror in his ghostly eyes will cause at least two cops and one paramedic to lose three nights of sleep. The coroner will be unable to properly identify the cause of death, but we will know. We will know.
October 18th, 2005 at 9:11 amObserver,
Gary doesn’t strike me as that clever. He seems more like the typical paranoid wingnut, sitting with his fellow cult members inventing conspiracies where there’s no evidence for them. Don’t get me wrong — they’re occasionally right (stopped clocks and all that), but usually they turn out to be completely off. The sad thing is they don’t miss a beat, and move on to the next paranoid, unevidenced delusion.
At a time when all evidence says the prosecutor is looking hard at conspiracy charges, possibly including the vice president’s office, to say that it’s the victims in this whole affair who will be charged is pretty loony.
October 18th, 2005 at 9:11 amThe reason why the CIA has filed charges is due to departmental procedure.
Neither classified information nor criminal investigations/referrals work that way.
October 18th, 2005 at 9:12 amGary: One of the nice things about the internet is that you can actually engage experts on the topics you’re interested in. Larry Johnson, a former CIA officer and colleague of Ms Wilson, is a regular contributor over at tpmcafe. I admit I haven’t read his discussion threads exhaustively, so maybe I’ve just missed it, but have you tried persuading him of this point? Maybe you could provide us with a link to that discussion? Or if not, perhaps you’d like to get into it with him right now–he just posted a new topic this morning. I’m sure it would be a lot more worthwhile for all concerned than these unsubstantiated assertions you keep plunking in everywhere.
October 18th, 2005 at 9:16 amHere is what Larry Johnson had to say about it, and he’s former NOC and was in Plame’s class at the academy…
“Valerie Plame was a “covert agent” as defined by the law. In her cover position as a consultant to Brewster-Jennings, Ms. Plame served overseas on clandestine missions. Just because she did not live overseas full time does not mean she did not work overseas using her status as a non-official cover officer.”
So whatever talking point you’re regurgitating is just wrong. Please just be quiet, troll.
October 18th, 2005 at 9:16 amWell I’m looking forward to the exoneration of Rove and Libby. Maybe then we can get back to focusing on the illegal war and failed domestic policy and the energy crisis and …what else?
October 18th, 2005 at 9:17 amDoh! You beat me to it! I’ve read all of Larry’s posts and his perspective is very interesting. You should too since you don’t seem to know anything you weren’t force fed on Focks news.
October 18th, 2005 at 9:17 amActually, Gary has it part right. Aldrich Ames outed Joe Wilson and Valerie Plame’s dentist. The fact that I have no evidence to support my assertion proves its validity.
October 18th, 2005 at 9:18 amMy personal feeling is the Justice Department was requested to research more than just Plame. I think this is an all out war between branches of Bush gov’t.
October 18th, 2005 at 9:19 amThank you! I will be here all week! Try the veal.
October 18th, 2005 at 9:20 amGary,
Larry Johnson, who was also a covert CIA agent and who worked with Valerie Plame, just wrote another article stating that Plame WAS A COVERT AGENT. Dude, I’m not sure where you’re getting your information but you might want to look into a new source. I think Johnson would know, and even if you don’t like his stance against the Bush administration it doesn’t change the fact that he’s TELLING us that she was covert. Get a clue.
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2005/100905E.shtml
Joe Wilson was NOT sent to Niger by his wife. That is more ludicrous than any of the other relative wingnut fantasies. She didn’t have the authority to send him and in addition, they were trying to accumulate facts to support taking the country to war (something they clearly expended much effort on), you think they’re just sending some guy that nobody knows about on this mission. Patently absurd on its face. He was sent by the Veep’s office and they knew exactly who they were sending…period, end of story.
Gary Ruppert, you are gonna feel real stupid, real soon.
October 18th, 2005 at 9:20 am.
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October 18th, 2005 at 9:23 am.
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.See http://TheFuturum.com - you can send message to eternity there.
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It’s simple.
Cohen believes a “serious matter” is one which is for the press to frown at in op/eds, perhaps furiously, with sharp-tongued metaphors, but he doesn’t believe they are criminal.
October 18th, 2005 at 9:24 amLarry Johnson is a biased leftist. He’s not really an expert in the law like Andrew McCarthy
October 18th, 2005 at 9:26 amBTW, folks, as anyone who’s ever read a Tom Clancy novel knows, the question of whether or not you’re covert at the CIA isn’t the real issue. For many of our covert folks, just being outed as an EMPLOYEE of the CIA is enough. You think it’ll matter to some bad guy in North Korea or Iran (or any other Bushco evil-country-of-the-week) if the CIA guy they kidnap today says “it’s ok; I’m not a covert agent, I just work for the CIA”? That’s ridiculous. So it don’t matter whether or not Valerie Plame was covert at the time that Rove/Cheney/Libby/Miller outed her; it was enough to say that Joe Wilson’s wife WORKS at the CIA — that blew her cover even if they DIDN’T say her name and even if she WASN’T working undercover at the time.
Sheesh — more right wingnut spinning; you’d think these fascists would get dizzy after a while. But I guess that would require them to actually have a brain, and like Iraqi WMDs, there’s been no evidence of such a thing…
October 18th, 2005 at 9:28 amActually, Gary, Larry Johnson is a pretty good running back for the KC Chiefs too…quite a multi-talented fellow, eh?
October 18th, 2005 at 9:30 amI don’t care if Larry Johnson is poppa smurf, he would know whether or not Plame was a covert agent. So are you saying that you believe Johnson is lying? Come now, he’s not in the Bush cabinet or the GOP, he doesn’t have to lie.
October 18th, 2005 at 9:30 amThank you! I will be here all week!
Again, I have to wonder why, since you could be discussing this directly, and much more fruitfully I should think, with Larry Johnson himself. He has discussion threads, and he actually knows enough about Ms Wilson and the CIA to give your arguments whatever weight and consideration they deserve. In the spirit of genuine intellectual engagement, I invite you again to head on over there. He has an active thread right now.
October 18th, 2005 at 9:30 amView some of McCarthy’s fine work:
http://www.galleryofcelebrities.com/amccarthy.htm
October 18th, 2005 at 9:30 amA more interesting question is why you make this claim in the first place, if you don’t have reliable documentation. Are you purposefully and cynically trying to mislead people or are you just deeply stupid?
In Gary’s case, it’s both. He lets nothing interfere with the Prime Directive: Defend Bush at all costs.
October 18th, 2005 at 9:31 amLarry Johnson is a biased leftist. He’s not really an expert in the law like Andrew McCarthy
We’re all biased lefties too, aren’t we? So why not address your concerns to one who actually has some standing in the issue? The opportunity stands open, but you’re not taking it. I don’t see why not.
October 18th, 2005 at 9:34 amUnfortunately for Gary, he’s only as step 1 in the 5 step grieving process.
Up next for Gary, anger.
October 18th, 2005 at 9:36 am#13 Gary Ruppert, If you don’t know what you are talking about, don’t post here. Your “facts” are so wrong at every level.
October 18th, 2005 at 9:40 amI think in one of Larry’s posts he actually said he voted for W but has since become disenchanted with his administration and now feels he must speak out. So much for the liberal hack theory. go sell your snake oil somewhere else, we ain’t buying.
October 18th, 2005 at 9:48 amThat’s some fancy selective editing you got there. It’s worth reading Cohen’s silly column just to see what he actually wrote — and meant — behind your phony-baloney elipses.
October 18th, 2005 at 9:49 amCohen: I am a Wanker
WaPo’s Richard Cohen, thinks that his editorial from Thursday needed some “clarification”
October 18th, 2005 at 9:54 amPrison must be taking its toll Manson’s cellmate.
What part of:
A. The title of Cohen’s column “Let This Leak Go”
and B. Fitzgerald should go back to Chicago and prosecute some real criminals, doesn’t add up for you? Oh wait, you’re in jail….nevermind.
October 18th, 2005 at 9:55 amThe curious thing about the Aldrich Ames claim for me is that when you listen to the conservative talking heads that are always looking for whatever life lines they can in this thing, I’ve never heard that name come up in the Plame case. It has always been whether she was covert or not based on her desk riding status. If she had been outed, why keep the dummy company going and set up your other agents working there–was it turning a profit so they diodn’t want to close it? The pre-outed case doesn’t really pass a smell test.
October 18th, 2005 at 9:55 amc’mon, lighten up! cohen just misquoted himself…
October 18th, 2005 at 9:56 amI just re-read the Cohen article. It stunk equally the second time. What a shameless pig. He has as little credibility as Judy Miller. He’s basically saying, we don’t have to abide by the same rules here in D.C. as everyone else does. It’s the way the game is played and since Fitzgerald isn’t from inside the beltway he should leave us alone as we continue to destroy this country.
F&*% you.
October 18th, 2005 at 10:01 amDear Gary,
As a progressive I implore you to please get your sorry ass up from your computer and go get a job. I am sick to death of supporting your lazy butt on welfare or unemployment, which must be the case as you have so much time on your hands.
Your time would be better spent in a school so that you could recieve training for meaningful employment.
Sincerely,
October 18th, 2005 at 10:09 amI think Cohen and Pinch should have their AIPAC heads examined to see if there is any shred of decency left in them. Larry Franklin is on line 2.
October 18th, 2005 at 10:09 amCohen is a pathetic media whore of the worst kind. He makes me physically ill.
October 18th, 2005 at 10:23 amLarry Johnson is a biased leftist.
The last refuge of someone who has no argument. With this “argument”, Gary (like all wingnuts) ignores any uncomfortable fact.
October 18th, 2005 at 10:23 amYeah well what is new. A guy who argues a point not on the facts, but on who he likes and who he doesnt like.
It is pathetic. Id rather be wrong while arguing my own point, based on my personal analysis of the information, rather than be right in a kneejerk reaction to follow whatever talking points I was given.
PATHETIC. It is a crime, but what is so new about that? This is how guys liek chaney, libby, and rove operate. They have for decades, since before I was born. They are criminals, and they continue to do it because they continue to get away with it.
R2000
October 18th, 2005 at 10:31 amSorry, Gary, but your premise was just blown out of the water. Susan G at Daily Kos just posted a brief Q & A with Wilson, in which he specifically denied ever talking to Miller.
Either Wilson’s lying and there’s no evidence to refute that lie (Wilson having already spoken to the prosecutor) or he’s telling the truth. Either way, it doesn’t look like Wilson will be getting indicted as you say.
And by the way, the notion that Wilson outed his own wife is just plain nuts.
October 18th, 2005 at 10:31 amEveryone, Do not respond to Gary. He knows all too well what he’s doing. I don’t think he even believes the “facts” he touts. He’s doing this all over the blogosphere and seriously gets off on the anger and disruption he causes on progressive blogs.
His goal is to distract and anger us. Don’t let it happen here too! Don’t waste your time and effort trying to get him to come around on the issues. You WILL have an aneuryism first. Just ignore him and all of his posts and you’ll have a much better day! :)
October 18th, 2005 at 10:32 amCorrection: Wilson said the first time he spoke with Miller was November, 2004. Not in the time frame Gary’s discussing at all.
October 18th, 2005 at 10:32 amGary, just a thought…
There’s a difference between stupidity and ignorance. Stupidity is characterized by a sad lack of ability and those who suffer from it are to be pitied. Unlike others on this board, I don’t believe you are stupid, I believe you are ignorant. The root word in ignorant is “ignore,” a verb–therefore, ignorance is “active stupidity.” You actually have to work at it. Mostly, I believe you like to get attention by posting patently ridiculous assertions and watching the fur fly. If you were truly stupid, it might be worthwhile engaging in further discussion with you, but as it appears you choose to be ignorant it is difficult to justify wasting any further time on this discussion. Movin’ on…
October 18th, 2005 at 10:49 amFitzgerald will be interrested in Rupert’s expertise on the Plame matter. He will be really, really astonished to find, after two and a half years, that he has been working on a non crime. You go tell him, Rup.
October 18th, 2005 at 11:05 am“A number of people, including some husbands, got the impression from my recent behavior that I don’t consider sleeping with another man’s wife a serious matter. I do.”
Richard Cohen
October 18th, 2005 at 11:50 amnittacci, hey, hey, hey whats this disin the the over 55 crowd and attaching us to this asshole cohen because of an age similarity?? folks in my cohort have been bangin the progressive drum for a long, long time and in fact there are armies of like minded people alot older than us ( though time does seem to take its toll ) so before you go mistakin paradise for that house across the road remember who was in the streets in the 60’s for civil rights, vietnam and so on and go back and take a look at some of the faces from the demonstrations this year at the republican convention and so on…you’ll see the tracks of our tears and fears…and lets get together one more time and hopefully watch the pigs in the white house start themselves on fire….
October 18th, 2005 at 12:22 pmJeff Gannon should be the one who continues to ask the President slanted questions about the Plame outing.
Gary will respond that Gannon was already outed from the closet when he made those questions with his White House press pass and Bush vetted identity as a gay call boy/fake marine.
The above FACT is something that holds more water than his supposed AMES spin…
October 18th, 2005 at 12:28 pmIf anyone thinks the identification of Valerie Plame as a CIA employee was a violation of the IIPA, or was otherwise criminal, they are drinking the wrong kind of kool-aid. Plame was well-known in DC as the wife of Ambassador Wilson, and her employment was no secret.
If Joe Wilson hadn’t lied about his wife’s role in recommending him for his “Niger mission” there would not have been any controversy in the first place. Whatever unwanted attention his wife may have received was his fault, and his alone.
October 18th, 2005 at 1:27 pmBlue State Red, regarding your last comment:
Ahahahahahahahaha!!!!! That’s funny, you kill me. You got any more, cause that was priceless. Good one really.
October 18th, 2005 at 1:32 pmBSR,
That’s fully discredited bullshit, all of the way around. Every charge you just made has come from a republican apologist and has BEEN DISCREDITED. Do you care to have the sources, or do you prefer to live in your delusion - which has been the case for you and most of your hate filled idiots of the republican lunacy that is GWBush.
October 18th, 2005 at 1:49 pmI am sure the special prosecutor has spent 22 months and interviewed 90% of the White House staff, but neglected to ask whether any information about Plame was actually classified or if she was “covert.” It is going to be REALLY humiliating for him when he announces later this week, “Oops. This is totally my bad, but, although the administration has been very “not nice,” it turns out that Ms. Plame was not covert, and there was nothing classified about the leaked information. I just call the CIA and asked them that, which of course I should have done months ago. Sorry for the fuss.”
October 18th, 2005 at 1:53 pmJeff,
Isn’t it odd how a republican run justice department would put such a ‘partisan’ investigator in to do this? I mean if what BullShitRedneck was saying is true, wouldn’t a non-partisan investigator have thrown this out months ago for just being irrelevant?
I hate to go all logical and rational - we know how reichwingers prefer hate, emotion, fear and ‘faith’ in place of those traits - but it just seems to me to be kinda strange. Doesn’t it seem that way to you?
October 18th, 2005 at 2:01 pmCohen = Tool
October 18th, 2005 at 2:51 pmHe does his masters bidding.
Joe Wilson lied when he claimed his wife had nothing to do with his “Niger mission” assignment [Fact: the assignment was set up for Wilson by his wife, Valerie Plame]; he lied when he claimed, as part of his mission, he personally debunked the forged documents [Fact: the forged documents did even not come into the possession of the U.S. government until long after Wilson’s “Niger mission]; and he lied when he claimed the Vice-President saw his “report” [Fact: Wilson was debriefed verbally by the CIA, and he never submitted a written report for review by the Vice-Presdent or anyone else].
Joe Wilson is the only person involved in this affair who has been proven to have persistently lied for his own political purposes. He is responsible for whatever unwanted attention his lies may have brought upon his wife and himself.
October 18th, 2005 at 4:35 pmBSR, do you know how stupid you sound? I suppose poor Delay has been set up too. And that Frist, all a mistake.
You support criminals in our government and are unAmerican.
What does it matter who sent who? Bushco wanted to sell his war and damn anyone who got in thier way. Where do you get your “facts?” Can you site?
October 18th, 2005 at 4:44 pmRichard Cohen is part of what can only be called the Vichy Media. Purportedly free, they occupy not a territory, but a critical terrain of institutions and news organs that are necessary for the full functioning of liberty. They are collaborators, in every sense of the word, with ongoing fascism.
May they be tarred and feathered — literally — so that their treason is never repeated.
October 18th, 2005 at 5:34 pmBSR,
This spin, smear and nonsense has all been debunked, why are you rehashing these lies!
October 18th, 2005 at 5:55 pm“and he lied when he claimed the Vice-President saw his “report†[Fact: Wilson was debriefed verbally by the CIA, and he never submitted a written report for review by the Vice-Presdent or anyone else].”
Actually you’re republican smearing again.
“Although Wilson wrote that he was certain his findings were circulated within the CIA and conveyed (at least orally) to the office of the Vice President, Novak questioned the accuracy of Wilson’s report and added that “it is doubtful Tenet ever saw it.” However, Tenet himself later indicated not only his familiarity with the report but that it “was given a normal and wide distribution” in intelligence circles”
October 18th, 2005 at 6:02 pm“Joe Wilson lied when he claimed his wife had nothing to do with his “Niger mission†assignment [Fact: the assignment was set up for Wilson by his wife, Valerie Plame];”
So far you’re batting 100% failure on this BSR, too bad you are like the typical republicans who simply believe the party line instead of doing the most basic of fact checking!
Several high ranking CIA officials disputed this claim, however, and indicated that the operations official who made it was not present at the meeting where Wilson was chosen. Wilson wrote: “Apart from being the conduit of a message from a colleague in her office asking if I would be willing to have a conversation about Niger’s uranium industry, Valerie had had nothing to do with the matter.”
Others argue that Wilson has said that his wife did not authorize the trip and that he cannot speak about the details. The Senate intelligence committee report and other sources seem to confirm that Valerie Plame gave her husband a positive recommendation. However, they also confirm that she did not personally authorize the trip, contrary to what Matt Cooper reports having been told by Karl Rove.
October 18th, 2005 at 6:07 pmHi Blue State Red:
“Joe Wilson lied when he claimed his wife had nothing to do with his “Niger mission†assignment [Fact: the assignment was set up for Wilson by his wife, Valerie Plame];”
False on it’s face, and if you kept up one tick with the news other than what your blowhard mouthpieces tell you, you would realize that:
TALKING POINT: The Senate Intelligence Committee said that Valerie Plame was the one who suggested or authorized or set up Joe Wilson’s trip.
FACT: False and false. (Also see here and here). In fact, there is a fair amount of evidence that indicates that Valerie Plame did not even recommend/suggest that Wilson be sent on the trip; it also appears that the author of the memo insinuating that Plame suggested Wilson for the Niger trip was not even present during the meeting in question.
http://www.theleftcoaster.com/archives/004870.php
“he lied when he claimed, as part of his mission, he personally debunked the forged documents [Fact: the forged documents did even not come into the possession of the U.S. government until long after Wilson’s “Niger mission];”
What other documents could one possibly deduce he would be referring to in this instance?:
http://www.theleftcoaster.com/archives/005126.php
Incredibly weak argument. Try again.
“and he lied when he claimed the Vice-President saw his “report†[Fact: Wilson was debriefed verbally by the CIA, and he never submitted a written report for review by the Vice-Presdent or anyone else].”
Perhaps I’m a bit remiss, but please point to me where Wilson has ever claimed that he sent his report directly to Cheney. Everything I have read shows that he sent his report to the CIA and DIA, and from there those higher ups did not send his report to Cheney because they felt it didn’t show anything new (supposedly, at least that was reported in the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence report). Considering they had their reports from the IAEA, the Iraqi Survey Group, and the State Department which directly stated Iraq had not obtained any uranium of any sort, this was unsurprising that Wilson’s report to the CIA which was rated “good” by the CIA corroborated what was already known.
“Joe Wilson is the only person involved in this affair who has been proven to have persistently lied for his own political purposes. He is responsible for whatever unwanted attention his lies may have brought upon his wife and himself.”
And you have not shown in any way how Wilson has lied in any way. All you have done is attempt to cover your ass for the serious wave that’s about to blow you and your corrupt piece of shit party out of the pool. Hold on tight.
October 18th, 2005 at 6:38 pmTo be fair to Cohen, his statement “Not nice, but it was what Washington does day in and day out” referred specifically to retaliating against your political enemies, not to outing a CIA agent. Still…
I’m assuming that Cohen’s “clarification” is based on this statement in the 10/13 column:
“It was not the intent of anyone to out a CIA agent and have her assassinated (which happened once) but to assassinate the character of her husband. This is an entirely different thing. She got hit by a ricochet.”
He’s presuming one of the very facts in issue–WAS the outing intentional, the answer to which requires that Fitzgerald finish the investigation. AND he seems to think that an accidental outing is okay, as long as it occurs within the bundaries of “acceptable” political warfare. To the contrary, accidental outings should be taken very seriously, since the harm is the same whether the outing is intentional or not.
There have to be standards for ascertaining whether something is confidential before you blab it; otherwise, the blabber will always claim “accident” as a justification. Whoever outed Plame, whether a government official or a reporter, had reason to know she was in the CIA, hence had reason to ascertain whether her identity as an agent was secret.
October 18th, 2005 at 7:33 pmI suppose if I were a lonely, pathetic person with little self-esteem and no friends or family to support me, I might spend my time posting stupid and ignorant remarks on multiple blogs simply to receive some sort of recognition. After all, in the face of abject self-pity, like publicity, hateful reaction is better than no reaction at all.
October 19th, 2005 at 11:31 am[…] Think Progress reminds us what he said that may have given readers that impression: The alleged crime involves the outing of Valerie Plame, a CIA operative… Not nice, but it was what Washington does day in and day out…This is rarely considered a crime. […]
October 23rd, 2005 at 10:47 pm“Larry Johnson is a biased leftist. He’s not really an expert in the law like Andrew McCarthy”
Comment by Gary Ruppert
Which is why he voted for Bush twice, and served in Republican Administrations? He’s expert in who is a covert operative, and that’s the issue at hand.
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December 29th, 2005 at 5:31 pm