( The Post's accusation about Wilson "falsely" claiming to have debunked the yellowcake reports apparently is based on Wilson's inclusion in his report of speculation from one Niger official who suspected that Iraq might be interested in buying yellowcake, although the Iraqi officials never mentioned yellowcake and made no effort to buy any. This irrelevant point has been a centerpiece of Republican attacks on Wilson and is now being recycled by the Washington Post.)
Hiatt also is absolving the White House, Novak and implicitly himself (since he published Novak's column revealing Plame's identity) from responsibility for protecting the identity of an undercover CIA officer and her spy network. Plame's operation was then focused on Iran's WMD programs including its alleged nuclear ambitions.
Contrary to the Post's assertion that Wilson "ought to have expected" that the White House and Novak would zero in on Wilson's wife, a reasonable expectation in a normal world would have been just the opposite.
Even amid the ugly partisanship of today's Washington, it was shocking to many longtime observers of government that any administration official or an experienced journalist would disclose the name of a covert CIA officer for such a flimsy reason as trying to discredit her husband.
Only in this upside-down world would a major newspaper be so irresponsible and so dishonest as to lay off the blame for exposing a CIA officer on her husband because he dared criticize lies told by the President of the United States, deceptions that have led the nation into a military debacle.
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Hiatt also is absolving the White House, Novak and implicitly himself (since he published Novak's column revealing Plame's identity) from responsibility for protecting the identity of an undercover CIA officer and her spy network. Plame's operation was then focused on Iran's WMD programs including its alleged nuclear ambitions.
Contrary to the Post's assertion that Wilson "ought to have expected" that the White House and Novak would zero in on Wilson's wife, a reasonable expectation in a normal world would have been just the opposite.
Even amid the ugly partisanship of today's Washington, it was shocking to many longtime observers of government that any administration official or an experienced journalist would disclose the name of a covert CIA officer for such a flimsy reason as trying to discredit her husband.
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