The Valarie Flame Plame Case

This case is so confusing that every new report I read makes it more confusing… even after reading a 6000 page article in the New York Times. If you want to read commentary (don’t read the NY Times) read Powerline and the Corner.

Here is my take on the case. It turned out that Joseph Wilson was somehow sent to Niger to review the claims that Saddam attempted to buy Uranium “Yellow cake.” A claim, by the way, that MI-5 and the British government still stand-by.

After Wilson returned he wrote a scathing rebuke of the Administration in the New York Times. This prompted the White House to find out who the hell Joseph Wilson was and why he was sent to Niger. At some point someone figured out that Wilson was sent to Niger because his wife at the CIA recommended him. I imagined there were a lot of WTFs? going on in the White House when they found out about this. How is it that a democratic operative is sent over to do such research – one would expect an anti-administration report, even if they could not prove that the claim was not true. See this link for all the problems with Joe Wilson.

This fact was then leaked to reporters to get them to do investigative reporting in an attempt to explain why Wilson should be doubted (i.e. that he was NEVER a supporter of the Administration.) After Novak wrote his column “exposing” Plame, Wilson countered that the Administration had blown the cover of his wife. Wilson’s redirection was successful in mucking up the fact that he was sent to Niger because his wife intervened.

The problem with Wilson’s claim was that Plame was not a “covert” agent, under the law, that could be exposed. Even if Plame were a covert agent under the law, the ease in finding out who she was and how little care she took regarding her covert status should be enough to show that the spirit of the law was not violated either. Further, Wilson should not be allowed to insulate himself from criticism by hiding behind his wife’s covert status – this would be the ultimate in dirty politics. In otherwords, if the genesis of his selection to go to Africa could not be exposed because of Plame, it would be difficult for the Administration to claim how he was sent to Africa in the first place and that he was not chosen to go by the Administration….

Based on what I have read this seems to be what happened. It is possible that Karl Rove or Scooter Libby failed to give the whole story at their first grand jury hearing and that now they are in trouble for “obstructing justice.” These days however, obstructing justice is the poor mans out for a prosecutor. What a joke it will be if they are indicted for obstructing justice when it is clear that they never committed a crime – especially in a case where the law is so complex and the “crime” can not be determined from morality (i.e. where is the immorality?)

Drudge is predicting that this story is turning into another media blunder in that the media has essentially reported that there will be indictments. We shall see….