He flits about, ostensibly looking for food tidbits, perhaps some fine poop. As he sits still on a doughnut, he hears all transpiring in the room. Then he fills in The Wise I.
~~~~~~
The Senator from New York, the senator from California and the senator from Delaware each sat in a chair in a clubby room far away from the chattering crowd of the Senate Democratic Policy Committee enjoying barbecue on the lawn. The reporter from the New York Times sat back a bit from his more honorific company but Joe Wilson noted he was there nonetheless.
Joe was excited when Val informed him that the Senator from New York phoned and invited him to a private meeting during the upcoming policy committee jamboree.
"I think they're listening to your complaint about Niger, Joe. Finally!" Val finished with that breathless exclamation and handed her husband the phone.
Joe listened to the senator from New York as he, indeed, did want to speak to him about his trip to Niger. Now Joe sat in the room with three of the most important senators in the Democratic party and the reporter from the New York Times. Normally a chatterbox, Joe decided to remain quiet in the company of such august persons.
"Joe, as you know we've got a big election coming up next year," the senator from New York said quietly. Joe nodded affirmative. It seemed a simple and true statement. Joe knew there was more. Joe hoped it involved him.
"Joe," the senator from California said, surprising Joe who waited for more from the senator from New York. "It's now May of 2003. By next year at this time, if we're lucky, we may have a potent weapon to use against Bush."
"It's been a while since we attacked Iraq and it looks," the Senator from Delaware said with a wink and a slight pause. Joe turned his head again to face this new speaker. "It looks like," the senator from Delaware continued after the dramatic pause, "no one's going to find any weapons of mass destruction."
Silence descended and Joe sat, bewildered. He'd already turned in his report to The Agency. He knew the Nigerians weren't selling yellowcake uranium to Saddam. The President of Niger told Wilson so in person. Besides, Abu down the hall, who Wilson could trust implicitly to give him all the dirt, told him Niger wasn't selling yellowcake to Saddam because Niger couldn't meet Saddam's timeline. It made sense to Joe at the time. Wilson had been ambassador to three African countries. He was no fool. He knew that the President of Niger wasn't selling yellowcake to Saddam for some reason beyond good sense. If the Nigerian President wasn't selling it was because he couldn't or wouldn't meet the terms of the buyer.
Article comments
1 - Maezeppa
Iraq, like most of the middle east, can mine its own uranium, obviating the need to purchase it from the foreign, IAEA-regulated mines in Niger.
Interestingly, it just may be that the current grand jury Valerie Plame inquiry may very well also unearth the author of the forgeries. Look for an information conduit leading from Bolton to Rove.
2 - W. von Ludewig
As a former intelligence officer, the blowing of someone's Non Official Cover
(NOC) is not a lighthearted matter. In
Ms Plame's case, it could have meant her
being picked up by some African or Middle Eastern political police, and being held without diplomatic immunity..
That means that they could have done whatever they wanted---repeat, whatever
they wanted---to this woman..
My understanding is that ROVE was the source, and president bush knew of the
proposed criminal disclosure of her CIA
identity in advance---and did nothing
to stop the disclosure..
That would be a violation of that part of his oath of office that requires him
to, "...take care that the laws are faithfully executed..." and may be a
separate crime committed by "bush the lesser", himself, called, "misprison of
a felony.."
Somehow, I fail to see the humor in the
topic..
On the other hand, a joint autobiography
with the title. "Karl and Dubya Meet BIG
Big Bubba and The Ripper in Leavenworth"
would be hilarious!!
3 - Dave Nalle
Well, WvL, you seem to have the inside scoop here, let's see your evidence - and your sources - that Rove did it and that Bush knew. Inquiring minds are eager to know.
Or are you just another opinionated, irrational, bush-hating troll?
Dave
4 - Bob
I'm not sure about comparing Rove to Bin Laden. Benedict Arnold does come to mind however. I beleive he should be hanged.
5 - Silas Kain
I think that Rove being treasonous is a bit over the top. It seems his modus operandi involves using unorthodox means to get his candidates elected. That's something virtually every political operative is guilty of at one time or another. The fact that the incident involves a person who had a direct involvement in the security of the country is another matter. Hanging? No. Jail? Why? What would that prove? If he leaked the information, then he should be given the opportunity to resign and leave Washington forthwith. Then the media can concentrate on reporting things that are more important to the fabric of American life.
6 - Silas Kain
Yahoo News has an interesting article on the Rove scandal comparing him to Bin Laden. What's really more disturbing, however, is a new allegation that Ari Fleischer's abrupt departure as press secretary may have a direct link to Mr. Rove.
7 - gonzo marx
Silas,
i'm afraid i must disagree on one point here..
you say "Jail? no."
i say jail, if convicted, hell yes...to the fullest extent of the Law for commiting a felony that threatens an Agent's life as well as National security
it's a matter of Personal Responsibility, for me at least...
if he is convicted of doing it..then he should suffer the full penalty of the law..NO exeptions to the Rule of Law...NO special concessions for politicians and their henchmen
either our Laws govern EVERY citizen, or we are not the Nation we are supposed to be
as for what purpose does it serve?..one..punishes whoever violated a federal Law, and second...sends a clear message to others in our G
overnment that they are Responsible, and Accountable for their Actions, under the Rule of Law
nuff said?
Excelsior!
8 - Silas Kain
I dig what you're saying, gonzo. Personally I find Mr. Rove to be the reincarnation of Rasputin. That being said, jail in this case would be a vacation. All we have are allegations. In the event that there is evidence and he is convicted, he would end up with probation and/or serving time in a Federal detention facility. What good is putting him in a Federal country club? In the long run it would cost the taxpayers more money than this man is worth.
If he is charged with anything he should resign. If he is convicted, the President should issue a conditional pardon. Mr. Rove's fall from political grace and power that he has achieved is a punishment that is far worse than a vacation in penal country club.
9 - gonzo marx
again,k i must disagree...having a Felony rap on his sheet...no voting, no guns
i could care less about the expense...after 46 million spent on a blowjob hunting for Impeachment..this trial would cost peanuts
and thanx for noticing i did say "if convicted"
i really don';t carte who it is, but i DO want whoever is Responsible for leaking the info, as well as Novak for printing it, to be held accountable to the fullest extant of the Law
nuff said?
Excelsior!
10 - Silas Kain
I understand gonzo.
11 - W. von Ludewig
Oh well.. Rove hasn't been indicted---yet..
But I guess it won't make any difference.. I believe that it's possible that Cheney, Libby & Co. deliberately distorted the intelligence on Iraq in order to start the war on a pretext, rather than on the truth.. If it's an honest mistake in judgment,I have no problem.. But if they KNEW the intelligence was wrong on WMD and all the other reasons given that turned out to be
wrong, then I have a BIG problem.. This plan to
invade Iraq was published in white paper LONG before Bush took office---and the plan even says
that a catastrophic event ( 9/11) can be used as a pretext to start the war.. So there is a valid
reason to question their motives---because the
very same people laid it out in their own words
before it happened..
It's a plan for exactly what happened,in their own handwriting..
In the United States, the People are the sovereign---the People have ALL the power and
authority---the Federal government has NO power to do anything, except what the People have specifically delegated.. George W.Bush is NOT the
King---he is only a servant---the People are the King in this Republic..
And where have the Sovereign People consented to
have their citizens sent to war based on a pack of lies ??