[Western Phil]

"... Wilson was claiming (or allowing his journalist friends to believe) that he, Joe Wilson, was sent to Africa at the request of VP Chaney."

It is hard for me to believe that a sophisticated intelligence service as the CIA would operate as they apparently did by sending Wilson on an investigation. In my opinion his report, the method of gathering information and the subsequent media fiasco show considerable incompetence.

It is clear that Chaney was not aware that Wilson had been sent to Africa it seems to have been a surprise to him that the agency did that.

[silverleaf]

Phil, In a nutshell, I think the CIA is complicit in making this case murky (if not outright obstructing a fair investigation) by NOT definitively stating whether Valerie was a "COVERT OPERATIVE" ... or NOT.... !!!!

because the CIA was/is so poorly managed, partisan ridden, and because of its appallingy shoddy (and apparently unaudited) practice of handing out money for "official" (???) "intelligence gathering" (???) travel by amateurish partisan hacks like Joe Wilson.