Isn't it likely that Ambassador Joe Wilson is actually CIA.

[styersc]

Just a thought that has been tugging at my mind. Wilson was sent to Iraq by the CIA. His previous position, and title, was Deputy Ambassador to Iraq. Given that an ambassador is a member of the State Department and the State Dept. is historically and notoriously at odds with the Intelligence community, why would they trust this job to an ambassador? CIA commonly attaches itself to the embassy (to keep an eye on the embassy as well as the target nation), so it seems that Wilson's association with the CIA goes deeper then his marriage.

Remember, when the Wilson editorial was published, the Whitehouse was blaming all of its foul ups on the CIA. I believe that Tenet, knowing how badly that BushCo. was screwing the pooch, got sick of being the whipping boy and assisgned Wilson the task of exposing Bush's stupidity.

[James T. Kirk]

1. I think if he was in the CIA, he would have said so by now.

It would only increase his credibility.

[madeline_con]

2. "Tenet, knowing how badly that BushCo. was screwing the pooch"

2003 article:

Bush lavishes Tenet, CIA with support
By Bill Sammon
THE WASHINGTON TIMES

ABUJA, Nigeria — President Bush yesterday praised CIA Director George J. Tenet a day after he took the blame for Mr. Bush's questionable claim that Iraq was trying to buy uranium from Africa.
.....

Hoping to shift attention to that broader aspect of the story, the White House appeared relieved that Mr. Tenet took the blame.
"The president is pleased that the director of central intelligence acknowledged what needed to be acknowledged, which was the circumstances surrounding the State of the Union speech," Mr. Fleischer told reporters at a Nigerian hospital Mr. Bush was touring.

http://www.washtimes.com/national/20030712-115338-4028r.htm

[wakeme2008]

3. Wilson is a part-time CIA asset

The Africa trip was the second trip that the CIA had Wilson do THAT he has admitted too. There may have been others. Also remember his wife IS CIA, so he also my have planned "official" trips at the request of his wife to cover something she had to do for work..

[discopants]

4. still covert then?

Wilson does not reveal to the media that he is CIA because he is still covert. Perhaps he's waiting for the WH to leak that too!

[Starfury]

5. Probably not

Wilson was an experienced diplomat who had considerable history and knowledge of Middle Eastern and African affairs, so he seemed like a good choice to investigate a possible Iraq/Niger link. He had previously served in both countries.

Ambassador Wilson served as Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for African Affairs at the National Security Council from June 1997 until July 1998. In that capacity he was responsible for the coordination of U.S. policy to the 48 countries of sub-Saharan Africa, He was one of the principal architecs of President Clinton's historic trip to Africa in March 1998.

Ambassador Wilson was the Political Advisor to the Commander-in-Chief of United States Armed Forces, Europe, 1995-1997. He served as the U.S. Ambassador to the Gabonese Republic and to the Democratic Republic of Sao Tome and Principe from 1992 to 1995. From 1998 to 1991, Ambassador Wilson served in Baghdad, Iraq as Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy. During ''Desert Shield'' he was the acting Ambassador and was responsible for the negotiations that resulted in the release of several hundred American hostages. He was the last official American to meet with Saddam Hussein before the launching of ''Desert Storm.''

Ambassador Wilson was a member of the U.S. Diplomatic Service from 1976 until 1998. His early assignments included Niamey, Niger, 1976-1978; Lome, Togo, 1978-79; the State Department Brueau of African Affairs, 1979-1981; and Pretoria, South Africa, 1981-1982.

http://www.cpsag.com/our_team/wilson.html

[LizW]

6. Wouldn't Bushco have already burned him if he was? n/t

[Totally Committed]

7. Why give the other side

yet another meme with which to smear one of our own?

TC