Rove or Lewis Libby in Wilson affair? What is their relationship like?

[baby_bear]

This article makes me wonder whether Rove's power extends to Cheney's office or whether they have independent fiefdoms within the White House. Where, physically, does Libby work? Is Rove outside the cabal of Cheney and the Pentagon? Inquiring minds and all that...


http://www.canoe.ca/Columnists/margolis_oct4.html
<snip>
October 4, 2003
Dubious intelligence
CIA enraged by cynical White House end-run around its sources
By ERIC MARGOLIS -- Contributing Foreign Editor
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- For the Bush administration, which has wrapped itself in faux patriotism, accusations that it revealed the identity of a serving CIA agent are a huge political embarrassment and another blow to its sinking credibility
...
At least six journalists were told by administration sources that Wilson's wife was an active CIA officer. Journalist Robert Novak cited her name in his column.

Revealing names of CIA agents is a federal crime. There is speculation that the source of the story came from within the office of Lewis Libby, Vice President Dick Cheney's powerful chief of staff.

(Bush's press secretary has said "absolutely nothing brought to our attention suggests any White House involvement and that includes the vice-president's office." Scott McClellan added that if it turns out any administration officials were involved in the leak, they'll be fired.)

In any event, Libby and Pentagon civilian allies, Deputy Defence Secretary Paul Wolfowitz, Douglas Feith and Richard Perle, all played key roles in the buildup to the war with Iraq. They brought intensive pressure on the CIA to produce proof of hidden weapons and links between Iraq and al-Qaida.
</snip>

s_m

[displacedtexan]

1. excellent analysis and timeline!

this article says it all and in a way that even freepers can see what actually happened!
thanks!

[Manix]

2. Margolis right on the mark here!

[Swede]

3. Rove: Although I was attracted to him,

he was very self centered and lacked a sense of humor. I have no interest in another date.
Libby: Although there were a couple of awkward moments, I did feel a conection. I would definately like to see him again.

[snippy]

4. This article doesn't mention the White House Iraq Group (the WHIG).

The "cabal" fabricated or cherry-picked intel to provide to the WHIG. Everything relating to the "marketing" of the invasion of Iraq went through the WHIG. The WHIG not only chose what lies to use, it also chose when, where, and how the lies would be disseminated. And by whom.


The WHIG was formed by White House Chief of Staff Andy Card in August of 2002 to market and create support for the invasion of Iraq. It also was charged with framing the debate so that republicans would benefit politically from the invasion. WHIG's responsibilities included the creation and coordination of all of the lies to support the invasion, including the yellowcake and other nuclear weapons lies. Both Turd Blossom Rove and Scooter Libby were participants in the WHIG, but it was Andy Card's operation..

From an excellent article describing the WHIG:

The group met weekly in the Situation Room. Among the regular participants were Karl Rove, the president's senior political adviser; communications strategists Karen Hughes, Mary Matalin and James R. Wilkinson; legislative liaison Nicholas E. Calio; and policy advisers led by Rice and her deputy, Stephen J. Hadley, along with I. Lewis Libby, Cheney's chief of staff.

The first days of September would bring some of the most important decisions of the prewar period: what to demand of the United Nations in the president's Sept. 12 address to the General Assembly, when to take the issue to Congress, and how to frame the conflict with Iraq in the midterm election campaign that began in earnest after Labor Day.

A "strategic communications" task force under the WHIG began to plan speeches and white papers. There were many themes in the coming weeks, but Iraq's nuclear menace was among the most prominent.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn?pagename=article&node=&contentId=A39500-2003Aug9

The Wilson affair almost certainly is a WHIG operation. The fact that at least two people in the administration were shopping the story indicates that a decision to disclose the information was made. It was not casually revealed during the course of conversation. It was an actual decision made by someone. The fact that at least two people in the administration were shopping the story also indicates delegation and coordination by someone. If lies about Iraq's nuclear weapons program are involved, it is a WHIG operation. If a decision about a communication concerning any of the Iraq lies was made in the White House, WHIG was involved in the decision. If the job of making that communication was delegated to two or more people and coordinated, WHIG was involved in the delegation and coordination. That means the White House Chief of Staff, Andy Card was involved. Card reports only to Whistle Ass.