If my memory serves me correctly, the fact that it was Armitage who leaked Plame's name to Novak came out only after President Bush left office. It came out when Novak was ill with what turned out to be terminal cancer. He was getting ready to publish his memoir and that's when Armitage admitted he was the leaker.
President Bush did commute Scooter's sentence, so he never had to spend a moment in jail. And there was a vigorous defense fund set up by Scooter's friends, so I'm sure his legal bills were taken care of. But GWB didn't fully pardon him because the President had promised publicly that whoever did leak the name would be held to account. GWB was as much a victim of Fitzgerald, Armitage, Powell and Novak as Scooter was. At the time he left office, all GWB knew was that Scooter was a convicted perjurer. GWB also did not have all the facts at his disposal, and the posted article makes that clear.
Hogwash. President Bush knew it was an abuse of the judicial system and very reason the founders gave the power of pardon. My bet it was Karl Rove keeping the full pardon from happening - he was glad to see somebody else take the blame and wanted to keep Libby in focus. George Bush might have a better legacy had it not been for poll watching, let’s stay popular with the liberals Karl Rove.
That is the main reason I despise Colin Powell. He could have set that right. But didn't.