Former Envoy Talks in Book About Source of C.I.A. Leak [Wilson/Plame fiasco]

The New York Times ^ | 4/30/04 | David Johnston, Richard Stevenson

[Gothmog]

Nah, he said he 'believes' and Gingrich is a public figure. It's just hype for his book. I mean, who listens to Gingrich now anyway?

[Shermy]

Quite apart from the matter of her employment, the assertion that Valerie had played any substantive role in the decision to ask me to go to Niger was false on the face of it. Anyone who knows anything about the government bureaucracy knows that public servants go to great lengths to avoid nepotism or any appearance of it.

A non-denial denial.

Two government officials have told the FBI that conservative columnist Robert Novak was asked specifically not to publish the name of undercover CIA operative Valerie Plame in his now-famous July 14 newspaper column. The two officials told investigators they warned Novak that by naming Plame he might potentially jeopardize her ability to engage in covert work, stymie ongoing intelligence operations, and jeopardize sensitive overseas sources. ... Lamely attempting to shirk responsibility, Novak claimed that the CIA no was "a soft no, not a hard no."

Something I myself have said here. Novak's blame that the CIA didn't warn him enough was absurd. I also speculated that the "leak" to Novak wasn't malicious, just inside-the-beltway chatter and gossip. Novak blew his reputation to keep his mouth shut, if he ever had any.

BTW, how does this story comport with the malicious Bush admin leaking story???

[Shermy]

Joseph Wilson, Niger, Uranium and Bush’s Famous Sixteen Words: Evolution of a Confused Story

[Gothmog]

As far as the CIA warning goes, I'm more willing to believe Novak than Wilson and some CIA bureaucrats looking to cover their butts.

Novak calls around to find out the motivation for sending a Clinton hack.

He talks to a number of people. Two inform him of the Plame CIA connection (I think they were State Dept., maybe they were DOD or Energy, whatever).

Novak calls the CIA to get confirmation. There are some, like Foley, the CIA will ID.

The CIA gives Novak the SOP answer -- 'We don't want ANY of our employees ever named in the press.'

Now, Novak has been an investigative reporter for what, 30+ years? He certainly knows what the rules are. If the CIA did have a real problem, they would have told him -- and Novak would have complied. It was not THAT big a story for him to risk his 30+ year lucrative career for this.

In fact, it reminds me of the Sherlock Holmes line 'the dog didn't bark.' The CIA didn't 'bark' becuase Plame was not a super-secret NOC. Either because of the Ames scandal or through her own sloppy behaviour, Plame was no longer considered by the CIA to be a 'vital' protected source. Hence, the SOP response.

Wilson claims two unnamed sources told him that Novak was specifically warned. Well, Wilson is a big liar and I'm sure the CIA bureaucrats, under fire from within and without, are busy bleating out excuses.

Now, how Wilson's contorted version comports with his bogus claims about the WH being the source of the leak? It doesn't.

If Cheney, Rove, Libby, or other 'senior WH officials' told Novak that Plame was a CIA bureaucrat Novak wouldn't have needed confirmation from the CIA and wouldn't have needed to call the CIA.

[Gothmog]

By the way, thanks for your timeline. I thought that Wilson and Kristof met at the dem senate policy meeting before the Kristof article, not after.

[Shermy]

Novak himself said a CIA official aasked him not to use the name. Novak's excuse - he wasn't warned strongly enough.

See his second article.

[Gothmog]

I'm not arguing with you that a CIA official asked him not to ID Plame. Let me try explaining my thoughts a different way.

Option 1 -- Novak is told by 2 admin sources (not at the level of Cheney, Rove, etc, because if they told him, he would not have to call the CIA to confirm) that Plame works for the CIA. So Novak calls the CIA to confirm.

Novak [on the phone with a CIA communications dept. bureaucrat]: "Hello, my name is Bob Novak and I'm working on a story and my sources tell me a certain person, Valerie Wilson or Valerie Plame, works for the CIA. Can you confirm that?"

CIA flunky: "You mean the the nationally syndicated reporter Bob Novak? The one who regularly appears on TV?"

Novak: "Yes, are you able to confirm that Valerie Plame or Valerie Wilson works for the CIA."

CIA dunderhead: "Well, as you know, the CIA does not confirm or deny whether any person works for the CIA. Certainly not to a reporter who reaches millions of readers a day!"

Novak: "Yes, I know that. I've been an investigative reporter who knows all the rules since before you were born and does not want to risk my career, but is this something you can confirm?"

CIA simpleton: "Well, hold on a moment."

[Slight delay as the CIA poltroon checks the list of intel assets which should under no circumstances be revealed in the press by a nationally syndicated reporter.)

CIA dullard: "Uhm, Mr. Novak, as you know, the CIA does not confirm or deny whether any persons works for the CIA."

Novak: "Yes, but I've got two other sources who tell me she does. Is there a problem with that?"

CIA picklebrain: "Uh, I just must repeat Mr. Novak, the CIA does not officially confirm or deny whether any person or persons work for the CIA."

Novak: "OK, bye." Novak hangs up.

CIA muddlehead: "Uh, OK, bye Mr. Novak. Be seeing you around, or maybe not, tee hee hee, we are the CIA you know, (giggle). Hello, Mr. Novak? Can I call you Bob? Hello?

Option 2 -- Novak is told by 2 admin sources that Plame works for the CIA. So Novak calls the CIA to confirm.

Novak: "Hello, my name is Bob Novak and I'm working on a story and my sources tell me a certain person, Valerie Wilson or Valerie Plame, works for the CIA. Can you confirm that?"

CIA flunky: "You mean the the nationally syndicated reporter Bob Novak? The one who regularly appears on TV?"

Novak: "Yes, are you able to confirm that Valerie Plame or Valerie Wilson works for the CIA."

CIA buggleswarm: "Hold on let me check."

[Slight delay]

CIA snoozecatcher: "Uhm, Mr. Novak, we can not confirm that and we would caution you that information on CIA personnel is considered highly classified. That information might endanger CIA lives. The CIA would be strongly, at the highest level, opposed to any such disclosure. I can not express to you how strongly the CIA would be opposed to having any such information published on this topic."

Novak: "OK, can I talk to your boss?"

CIA buttermunch: "Yes, sir, please hold."

CIA official #2: "Hello, Mr. Novak? I've been told you have a question regarding the identification of a person in relation to the CIA. As you know, the CIA does not confirm nor deny whether any person works for the CIA.

"As you know, this information is kept secret for very good reasons as CIA empoloyees lives may be put in danger. Without saying that this is such a case, I must inform you that the CIA would be strongly opposed, and perhaps take legal action, if any person the CIA might consider to be a valued assett was identified in the press.

Novak: "OK, I know the rules, it's nothing to jeopardize my career over. Thanks for your time, bye."

The short version. Novak found out that Plame worked for the CIA from sources other than the WH. It's worth noting that Novak is not under any legal obligation not to reveal she is a CIA agent unless she is a 'NOC' class agent.

So, he checked with the CIA to make sure she was not covered. The CIA 'didn't bark,' so he proceeded.

The rest is just Wilson lieing his butt off and CIA bureaucrats covering theirs.