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October 30, 2005

How covert was Valerie Plame?

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Just One Minute reviews the situation:

Joe Wilson, aka "Mr. Incredible" will be whining appearing on 60 Minutes about threats to his wife.  Uh huh.  Maybe, since Joe admitted to doing consulting work for the CIA in his NY Times op—ed (and the Senate revealed that he undertook a 1999 CIA mission), it is he that is imperiled.  Or maybe the baddies are excited about the prospect of a twofer.

Closer to reality is Joseph DiGenova, a Washington lawyer and former US attorney who spoke to the Christian Science Monitor:

DiGenova adds that if the trial judge allows the references to classified information to remain in the indictment, defense lawyers will probably attack the CIA itself for failing to take the necessary measures to protect its own agent.

It was the CIA that enlisted the agent's husband, Joseph Wilson, for the sensitive mission in Africa, and it was the CIA that permitted Mr. Wilson to publicly disclose his role and publicly criticize the White House in an op—ed piece in The New York Times, diGenova says. In effect, the CIA set the stage through sloppy tradecraft for the disclosure of one of its agents.

Indeed — as the Boston Globe noted, her Brewster—Jennings cover was not designed to withstand any scrutiny at all.

The Washington Post surveys the damage done by the Plame leak, and delivers this reassurance:

There is no indication, according to current and former intelligence officials, that the most dire of consequences —— the risk of anyone's life —— resulted from her outing.

Bob Woodward's leaked version was even more reassuring:

WOODWARD: ... They did a damage assessment within the CIA, looking at what this did that Joe Wilson's wife was outed. And turned out it was quite minimal damage. They did not have to pull anyone out undercover abroad. They didn't have to resettle anyone. There was no physical danger to anyone and there was just some embarrassment.

There's much more. JOM has been on top of the story.

Clarice Feldman  10 30 05