It's been a while

I've been slightly sick, very busy, and just haven't had the energy for a lot of political discussion of late.

However, I can't let the day go by without commenting on the first of what promise to be a number of indictments on the whole Valerie Plame afair.

I rejoice, but not for the reason so many are rejoicing today. I and my wife rejoice because there is FINALLY some accountability in the White House.

Many on the Right Wing have focused on the fact that Valerie Plame "wasn't out in the field any more", and so she "wasn't really covert". However, the leak of her name outed not only her but the front company through which she worked and all other agents who worked through that same front company. This quite possibly destroyed on-going investigations, if not by Mrs. Wilson (nee Plame) then certainly by others whose identities were compromised by the release of her name.

Close neighbors and friends of the Wilsons, re-questioned earlier this week, reaffirmed that until the case became public, they had NO idea that Mrs. Wilson worked for the CIA.

We will probably never know how much good intelligence was lost, how much money setting up fronts was wasted, and how many agents were put in peril (or even lost their lives) because of the leak of Valerie Plame's name. The CIA doesn't generally report these things, because to do so would involve confirming the covert agent status of killed agents, an action which would further compromise agents still in the field.

The fact is, I don't care WHY it was done. The possibilities are many:

• Punishment of Joseph Wilson for having the audacity to say “Hey, wait a sec, you’re not being entirely truthful!”
• Intimidation of others who might choose to question the White House.
• Honestly just intending to cast doubt upon Wilson as a source, without even considering that there might be sensitive information in play.
• Something to do with the work Ms. Plame was doing with the CIA, and the discrediting of Wilson was just a happy side effect.

The fact is, I really don’t care WHY it was done. I’m willing to believe sinister motive, but I’m just as willing to accept a simple, lethal cocktail of hubris and stupidity.

Nevertheless, this Administration originally ran on the notion of restoring honor and dignity to the White House. They didn’t do it. In fact, arguably they have taken us from petty misbehavior to damaging the nation. It’s about time SOMEONE’S feet were held to the fire over this.

There are mid-term elections coming up in a year. There is a Presidential election coming up in three. What this country needs most (but will sadly fail to get) is a full refresh of our government, with all new faces from all new parties, people whose goal is a strong America and not partisan politics. We can’t trust the Left or the Right to put the needs and the good of our great nation ahead of personal gain and cronyism.

I’m not sure they ever really existed, but I miss they days when we could be naïve enough to BELIEVE that the major difference between the Democratic and Republican parties was in their beliefs about what was best for the country, rather than which personal and special interests they bowed towards.

Liam.