[Gothmog]

If Plame was such an undercover operative, why didn't the CIA object more strenuously when Novak called them and told them he was was going to name her in his article. As I remember Novak's version he called the CIA to get confirmation she worked there. The CIA said they would rather Novak didn't name her, but made no big deal.

Novak is an experienced reporter. If the CIA had said, 'No, under no circumstance name her,' Novak wouldn't have. But instead the CIA just shrugged. That should give you an indication of just how 'undercover' she was.

And IMHO Novak learned Plame worked for the CIA from sources at the State Dept. If you wanted to find out the background of a former ambassador, wouldn't that be where you would call?

Anyway, what I am really interested in is finding out more about what Wilson and Dem Senators talked about at a 'policy luncheon' last May, about six weeks before Wilson publicly attacked Bush. Wilson has said he 'mentioned' his trip to them, but I'm betting there was was more discussed between the publicity hound and Dem Senators desperately looking for ways to attack Bush after the successfully liberation of Iraq.

[Zack Nguyen]

Novak is an experienced reporter. If the CIA had said, 'No, under no circumstance name her,' Novak wouldn't have. But instead the CIA just shrugged.

If the CIA had said, "Oh dear God, don't put her name in print" that might have inspired more digging on the part of nosy journalists. They don't want to give them more info than they already have.

The principle here is that clandestine operatives must be concealed, because in some cases if that info is revealed people get killed.

I'd like to know more about Joe Wilson's talks with Democrats, too.