So its OK for a US ambassadors wife to be a spy??

[dudeness]

forget novak..the real sting in the tail of this story is the affect this may have on the US diplomatic service overseas..who could blame any country expelling US diplomats pending investigations of their links to the CIA..

[nadinbrzezinski]

1. Boy that is a game

that has been played by many a country for many a years...

[MinnFats]

2. i think it is acceptable.

diplomatic corps -- of virtually all nations -- have been riddled with intelligence-gatherers since the beginning of diplomatic relations.
the harm in this scandal is due to the fact that intelligence sources may dry up. by naming wilson's spouse, anyone who had a relationship with her now will be suspected of handing her information. also...who wants to work undercover for a GOVERNMENT that may blow your cover?
when the president's chief of staff declares you're 'fair game...'

[dudeness]

3. I see that as a plus..

so called intelligence sources have led to the overthrown of populist governments all around the world..

[Aidoneus]

4. that's a plus?

.

[dudeness]

5. to me ..yes..

think of chile..el salvador..nicaragua..the list goes on..thousands killed planned or aided by the CIA..

[Aidoneus]

7. ahhh... I was thinking backwards

I was thinking you meant the overthrow of them was a plus (and that sounded quite strange)--it was the job being made more difficult you were referring to.. agreed on that.

I'll come back to this later, after I've brushed off the Reading Comprehension lessons. :)

[AliceWonderland]

6. Well

I don't think so, but I don't imagine that's a very popular view, since it doesn't score the political points. It's a common practice, just as it's common to inflitrate other countries' press and opposition groups. However, down to my Canadian tippy-toes, I believe in the safety and relative neutrality of diplomats, humanitarian workers, medical personnel, and emergency workers. The moment these areas are compromised, innocent people and worthy programs are put at risk.

[IndianaGreen]

8. It's a job, and I doubt that her husband knew the details of her work

Wilson's wife worked on WMD and nuclear proliferation issues, an important and proper mission for CIA. She worked undercover at the State Department, which is also not unusual, the CIA has personnel routinely assigned to all of our embassies.

Outing her, like the outing of David Kelly by Geoff Hoon in Britain, essentially made them useless, ended their careers, and exposed and put at risk all of their contacts.

[Booberdawg]

9. Is it okay for a spy's husband to be an Ambassador?

I don't know why the Plame issue should have anything to so with other diplomats and thier spouses. I'm sure other countries do a pretty thorough background check on diplomats already.

[Rebel_with_a_cause]

10. Some in our media were/are (maybe Novak?)

Remember when Cronkite was accused of being CIA?

http://www.famoustexans.com/waltercronkite.htm

Cronkite himself became involved in a scandal in 1976 when television newsman Sam Jaffe reported
seeing his name on an alleged White House list of journalists who had worked for the CIA. In an angry
confrontation with CIA director George Bush on February 4, Cronkite demanded that he disclose which
news people had actually been CIA agents. Bush refused. A week later, the CBS Evening News reported
that at least two former correspondents for CBS had secretly worked for the spy agency.

[emad]

11. Official or unofficial spy?

In the end, it depends who is picking up the tab. If it's the CIA/NSA/FBI then I suppose they know what they're doing - subject to the caveat that Aldrich Ames and Bob Hanssen reputedly recruited widely before they were busted.

If it's unofficial spying, under the aegis of diplomatic immunity - eg. nosing around for the Republican party purely for party political gain - then I guess it's the old dog eat dog scenario.