Unwittingly, the Times editorial implied that the United States officials who gave Judith Miller the WMD 'scoops' were deliberately involved in spreading propaganda to make a case for war. Which means that Miller passively or actively assisted the OSP in committing a serious crime - long before assuming her role in outing Valerie Plame. The OSP, with the assistance of Miller, violated Title 50, Chapter 15, Section 413b (f) of the US CODE, which prohibits covert actions intended to influence United States political processes. One doesn't have to be a lawyer to understand this legislation which reads "No covert action may be conducted which is intended to influence United States political processes, public opinion, policies, or media". While the OSP and other intelligence outfits reserve for themselves the right to spread propaganda in foreign lands, they are explicitly prohibited from disseminating misinformation to Americans.
Long before the Plame case, Judith Miller had track record of conspiring with government officials to manufacture and leak the intelligence that paved the path to the illegal invasion and occupation of Iraq. She had a motive for exposing Valerie Plame and initiating a smear campaign against Wilson - to protect herself and her buddies at the OSP from charges of 'fixing' intelligence. Because much of their work centered on reviewing the work of WMD analysts at the CIA, the OSP must have had access to Plame's file. Who else would have known that Plame put in a good word for Wilson? In short, Miller had the means and the motives. The fact that she didn't write about Plame also makes sense. If Plame's outing had come from Miller - there would have been immediate confirmation that she got her information from her collaborators at the OSP.
Sulzberger and his media empire have a lot to hide - and jail might be the perfect place to conceal Judith Miller.
At this stage, both the administration and The New York Times are playing a game of chicken. Sulzberger is hoping that Bush will fire Karl Rove or that Rove will suddenly resign to spend more quality time with his family - like Tenent. In which case, maybe the mass media press will conveniently put the whole case on the back burner for a few more years. And both Judith Miller and her paper will emerge as heroes who fought the good fight against the evil ones - Patrick Fitzgerald and the Supreme Court - who had nothing better to do with their time than to shred the First Amendment and throw journalists in jail.
Rove's resignation might also work for Bush. Then again, maybe Rove being Rove will take the occasion of his departure to give Sulzberger a permanent black eye and out Miller as a fraud and the mastermind behind the Plame games. This might suit the Bush administration's conservative domestic agenda. Sulzberger and Bush might have teamed up to go to war - but they definitely have their differences on Supreme Court nominees, social security and a host of other issues. Maybe before dumping Rove, Bush will throw the neo-cons to the lions and put the word out that Rove was a victim of the OSP, Miller and Sulzberger.
To prevent such a rosy outcome, we need to know the identity of the other administration officials involved in the Plame scandal. Apparently, Patrick Fitzgerald already knows and if he continues to live up to his reputation - the Plame games will go on.
If we are very lucky, maybe some honest journalist at the Times will 'defy his bosses' and expose Arthur Sulzberger and Judith Miller. It's just too bad we can't pump Miller with truth serum while she is safely in captivity.
Ahmed Amr is the editor of http://www.nilemedia.com
Long before the Plame case, Judith Miller had track record of conspiring with government officials to manufacture and leak the intelligence that paved the path to the illegal invasion and occupation of Iraq. She had a motive for exposing Valerie Plame and initiating a smear campaign against Wilson - to protect herself and her buddies at the OSP from charges of 'fixing' intelligence. Because much of their work centered on reviewing the work of WMD analysts at the CIA, the OSP must have had access to Plame's file. Who else would have known that Plame put in a good word for Wilson? In short, Miller had the means and the motives. The fact that she didn't write about Plame also makes sense. If Plame's outing had come from Miller - there would have been immediate confirmation that she got her information from her collaborators at the OSP.
Sulzberger and his media empire have a lot to hide - and jail might be the perfect place to conceal Judith Miller.
At this stage, both the administration and The New York Times are playing a game of chicken. Sulzberger is hoping that Bush will fire Karl Rove or that Rove will suddenly resign to spend more quality time with his family - like Tenent. In which case, maybe the mass media press will conveniently put the whole case on the back burner for a few more years. And both Judith Miller and her paper will emerge as heroes who fought the good fight against the evil ones - Patrick Fitzgerald and the Supreme Court - who had nothing better to do with their time than to shred the First Amendment and throw journalists in jail.
To prevent such a rosy outcome, we need to know the identity of the other administration officials involved in the Plame scandal. Apparently, Patrick Fitzgerald already knows and if he continues to live up to his reputation - the Plame games will go on.
If we are very lucky, maybe some honest journalist at the Times will 'defy his bosses' and expose Arthur Sulzberger and Judith Miller. It's just too bad we can't pump Miller with truth serum while she is safely in captivity.
Ahmed Amr is the editor of http://www.nilemedia.com
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