The WaPo puts postage paid to the Valery Plame kerfuffle – and not a moment too soon. Scooter Libby gets his share of calumny (and will get his day in court) for allegedly telling tales, but the real villain is finally revealed:
(I)t now appears that the person most responsible for the end of Ms. Plame’s CIA career is Mr. Wilson. Mr. Wilson chose to go public with an explosive charge, claiming — falsely, as it turned out — that he had debunked reports of Iraqi uranium-shopping in Niger and that his report had circulated to senior administration officials. He ought to have expected that both those officials and journalists such as Mr. Novak would ask why a retired ambassador would have been sent on such a mission and that the answer would point to his wife. He diverted responsibility from himself and his false charges by claiming that President Bush’s closest aides had engaged in an illegal conspiracy. It’s unfortunate that so many people took him seriously.
This comes from believing our opponents to be the people the kinds of people that we would wish them to be.
And wishing doesn’t make it so.
Downright amazing how often that final comment applies, ain’t it?
Lex – I saw that article today and thought of sending you a link as I knew you’d find it worthy of comment (got sidetracked – work and all). Glad you came upon it and concur with your comments.
Wonder how much money Wilson and Plame made on this thing…
Brian