Rovegate: The scandal that lays bare the cynicism behind Bush's war...

[Zorbuddha]

It has the classic ingredients of a spy thriller: undercover agents, investigative journalists and a Middle Eastern dictator. But as Rupert Cornwell reports, this Washington tale is fact, not fiction

Published: 22 July 2005


Ah, for a scandal to while away the sticky days of high summer in the capital of the free world. This one has the lot. Featured ingredients include a glamorous CIA agent, a jailed journalist and a scandal-starved Washington press in hot pursuit of dastardly White House shenanigans. At the centre of the storm is Karl Rove, George Bush's closest adviser, architect of his election triumphs and attributed with satanic political powers by reporters and frustrated Democrats alike.

At one level, the affair about who leaked the identity of Valerie Plame, former diplomat's wife and CIA undercover operative, is utterly baffling. A special prosecutor has been on the case for almost two years, but no one has been indicted; indeed it is not even clear any crime has been committed. The journalist who published the agent's name goes about his business seemingly without a care in the world, but another reporter who never wrote a word about Ms Plame languishes in a suburban Washington jail for refusing to divulge her source for the same information. For once in a city where everyone claims to have the inside track, no one is sure what is going on.

But in another way, everything is blindingly simple. The Plame leak may not be a scandal in itself. Unquestionably, it is a dirty outgrowth of a real Washington scandal for which no one has been held accountable: the misuse and distortion of prewar intelligence about Saddam Hussein's supposed weapons of mass destruction, that the US and Britain used to justify their unprovoked invasion of Iraq.

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http://news.independent.co.uk/world/americas/article300731.ece (subscription required)

mirror site (complete text - no subscription required)

http://www.rense.com/general67/rovee.htm

[skip fox]

1. And the WILD thing is . . .

Rove and Libby are banking on the integrity of others (reporters adhering to their promises of confidentiality) to hide their own crimes in one very particular instance. They both said they learn of Plame's identity from reporters. IF ONLY ONE REPORTER REFUSES TO TESTIFY WITHOUT A SPECIFIC WAVER OF IMMUNITY, then the grand jury can surmise the mute reporter was the source of Plame's identity. ("Reasonable doubt" the size of a barn door.)

Brilliant?

Maybe we could pressure Rove and Libby to release all reporters in a way which would satisfy Miller?

[Zorbuddha]

2. It makes MY heart sing.

Man the yardarm, take no prisoners, I say.

This IS wild. I can't figure the Miller deal. It's a real sticky wicket.

Can hardly wait to see Fitz unfold this.

[skip fox]

3. Yeah, he seems bright and tenacious.

I think we're in for multiple indictments or expositions of wrong doing (which can be politically damaging) in Fitzgerald's report.

I say this because in learning about multiple leakers for the six reported contacts and multiple confirming sources, it becomes apparent what occurred. One administrative official discovered the Plame-Wilson-Niger relationship, took it to the White House Iraq Group, turned it over to Rove, who on the spot assigned tasks to different primary leakers/sources assuring no source called another source's contact (so as not to appear too eager), that no source's "pitch" was exactly the same but that their information was all given in an "off hand" manner (e.g., "Don't go too far out on this Wilson thing, I don't want you burnt").

Simply "doing the numbers" has told me this all along, but as new information comes out my analysis is being confirmed. We knew there were at least 6 initial leaks/contacts. Now we know that there were at least three different initial leakers (Fleicher Rove, Libby) and of the 6 reporters 4 are confirmed as Miller, Novak, Cooper, and Pincus. We also realize that there must have been a number of other confirming sources (because you cannot assure who the reporter will call for confirmation).

A master-mind would have been necessary to coordinate all these calls by different people AND would have to insure that a number of other officials were ready and willing to confirm the initial leaks.

They would have gone to Rove immediately and he, probably in an emergency of the White House Iraq Group, assigned the roles, the stories and the stances, etc.

So he not only leaked by was the mastermind of a conspiracy to leak.

We can only hope he lead a cover-up and committed perjury as well.

[Zorbuddha]

4. Very astute. You are probably right.

It seems Rove may have been too clever by half on this one. May have been just crafty enough to get himself caught in his own nefarious web.

He wasn't figuring on a straight-shooter like Fitz to do his job, and do it well.

Thanks for your thoughts, I'm amazed at some of the insightful analysis I'm hearing on this. I'm fairly mystified by it all.

[Zorbuddha]

5. kick- This is an interesting summary from a UK perspective n/t