Regarding the investigation for "yellow cake" in Niger,

[splat@14]

I don't understand who sent Wilson there and to whom did he report on his return? As I understand it, his wife recommended that he be sent because of his background in the region. To whom did she make this recommendation? I'm hearing Cheney, which sounds logical, but is there anything out there to support this notion? If not him, then who? I'll assume he reported his findings to the same individual?

[Beaver Tail]

1. The office of the VP sent him

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x4099497

[splat@14]

2. Thanks, knew I saw this somewhere.

[alcibiades_mystery]

3. Let's explain

The office of the VP asked the CIA to investigate the claim.

Somebody at the CIA asked Plame to do a write-up of her husband's experience in the region.

Plame did that, and turned it in.

Those charged with organizing the trip read Plame's write up, and asked Wilson to come in.

Wilson came in, they talked, he was briefed on the mission, and he went.

When he returned, he provided his report to whomever was in charge of the investigation.

They, in turn, presumably sent that report with their comments back to the office of the vice president.

Why is this sequence of events - which has been well-established for two years - so hard for people to understand?

[TahitiNut]

4. What's REALLY bizarre regarding this "question" is the fact that ...

... any such trip must be funded from some government organizational budget. Where did the f*cking funds come from that paid for the trip? That's where the (titular) sponsorship lies. If the funds came out of the Office of the Vice President, then it's Cheny.

[shraby]

6. The CIA paid the travel expenses,

Wilson worked for free.

[mandomom]

5. Read Blumenthal's piece in Salon.com today.

It's an excellent rundown of the timeline.