Opinions on Scooter Libby's Sentence being Commuted

[Lone_Gunman]

It is interesting how the Bush-o-philes have no problem with what Scooter Libby did, but when Bill Clinton and Martha Stewart do the exact same thing, they have no problem with prosecuting them.

 

[BryanP]

ArmedBear says:

Valerie Plame was not covert. She couldn't have been "outed" because there was nothing to "out."

It would appear that the CIA disagrees with you on that point.

But please continue.

 

[Dravur]

Riktoven....

Plame had the perfect cover as a CIA agent who was married to a diplomatic envoy.

Now, let me splain this to ya. Plame was not a COVERT agent at the time of thel "outing" by Armitage. Plame had a nice office and was working as an analyst. here is how you tell the difference.... Covert Agents NEVER, EVER go to CIA headquarters... EVER. Trust me on this. She may have been covert earlier in her career, but at the time of the Armitage outing, she was a desk monkey. Therefore, Armitage had no idea he was leaking her name as a covert agent as it was well known she worked for the CIA. You will notice that Armitage, being a dem, was never brought up on charges? Does that suggest anything to you? Maybe this was all politically a show?

Ever wonder why the only person who claims what Wilson said was true about Niger was Wilson? Ever wonder why British intelligence stands by their information to this day? Ever wonder why Wilson was sent? and by whom? Why in the world would Bush or Cheney send an obvious lib partisan to Niger to do intelligence work when he was not even.... in Intelligence? Why would his wife "volunteer" him for an intelligence job... when he was not in Intelligence?

Naw, this was a total witch hunt. Bush was right to commute the sentence and will be right in pardoning him.

and LG.... When did Libby ever ask anyone to lie to a grand jury... like Clinton did? and how much time did Clinton serve? So, if the punishment fits the crm, lets give Libby a $8 million book deal and send him out on the speaking circuit.

 

[ceetee]

Now, let me splain this to ya. Plame was not a COVERT agent at the time of thel "outing" by Armitage

Hmmm.....

I've seen one post with a link to show that the CIA did consider her to be covert, and none to show otherwise. Do the nay-sayers have any proof? Or just heresay?

 

[Gator]

Scooter Libby, Karl Rove, et al are traitors and should be hanged as such.

??? What are you talking about?

It would appear that the CIA disagrees with you on that point.

Ummm...no. Any covert status she may have had in the past was over with five years before the "outing", so it dosen't matter. Plus Joe Wilson had outed her himself many times before any of this came up ("..my CIA wife...").

 

[helpless]

I agree it's total BS. Cronyism at its finest. However, the Democratic presidential candidates are making hay with this commutation. I think it's hypocritical when they stand up there and chide Bush for this when Bubba did it and that was fine.

It's been done before and it will be done again.

Still doesnt make it right. This is the HighRoad.

 

[wooderson]

Any covert status she may have had in the past was over with five years before the "outing", so it dosen't matter.

Do you actually have any evidence to support your claims (CIA statements to the contrary) or all y'all just going to keep repeating it until everyone gives up?

 

[wooderson]

The CLINTON PARDONED PPLS TOOO!!!! crap is such an embarrassing red herring. People should be embarrassed to bring up those kind of talking points.

On the one hand, we have a commutation for the Administration fall guy in a federal crime.

On the other, we have "Failure to pay special occupational tax on wagering, 26 U.S.C. § 7203" in 1961. And "Distribution of marijuana and use of telephone to facilitate marijuana distribution."

Now, which Clinton pardons and commutations were of individuals who were convicted of crimes committed as high-ranking White House officials?

 

[Lone_Gunman]

Any covert status she may have had in the past was over with five years before the "outing", so it dosen't matter. Plus Joe Wilson had outed her himself many times before any of this came up ("..my CIA wife...").

You don't seem to understand. Scooter was convicted of lying to a grand jury. Exposing a CIA agent has nothing to do with his conviction.

Do you think its ok to lie to grand juries?

 

[Dravur]

Actually...

It never mentions she was Covert....

Plame worked as an operations officer in the Directorate of Operations and was assigned to the Counterproliferation Division (CPD) in January 2002 at CIA headquarters in Langley, Virginia.

The employment history indicates that while she was assigned to CPD, Plame, "engaged in temporary duty travel overseas on official business." The report says, "she traveled at least seven times to more than ten times." When overseas Plame traveled undercover, "sometimes in true name and sometimes in alias -- but always using cover -- whether official or non-official (NOC) -- with no ostensible relationship to the CIA."

She did use cover. Now, the two terms are not the same. A covert agent never goes to any CIA headquarters and is only allowed to work with a handler. Anyone with a camera could have snapped a photo of Plame driving into HQ. In fact, the funny thing is, if you have been to Langley, you are probably photographed by several countries "Agents" and are in their files. So, she was as covert as a ham sandwich in Times Square.

Using cover means another thing entirely. I could use cover to go to Kersplatistan and try to stay under the radar. I may go there for intelligence reasons or maybe for lunch. Also, this statement I find interesting.... "sometimes in true name". How much cover is that?

 

[wooderson]

Which is a rather ineffective game of semantics. A CIA agent operating "under cover" is, by definition, a "covert agent."

Nonofficial cover. NOCs (the word rhymes with "rocks") are the most covert CIA operatives. They typically work abroad without diplomatic protection (often they pretend to work for some commercial enterprise). If these spies are caught, there's no guarantee that the United States would admit their true identities. When using official cover could put a spy's life and work at risk, NOC is the only alternative.

 

[wooderson]

just for fun, a quote from our fearless leader, in reference to his duties as Governor of the State of Texas.

"I don't believe my role is to replace the verdict of a jury with my own."

 

[ceetee]

She did use cover. Now, the two terms are not the same.

SNARFLE That's got to be the funniest thing I've read all week! Working under cover does not mean "covert!"

Ummm......

You were joking, right?

 

[Dravur]

no ceetee....

That's why the two words are different..... They have different meaning in the CIA. As was said before, a True Covert Agent would work abroad and may or may not be avowed by the US if they were caught. They would not be staffing a desk at Langley. Ever....

 

[Scorpiusdeus]

You guys crack me up.

Everyone involved from Shrub down was politically motivated in this entire affair.

If the guy lied, and a jury says he did, he should go to jail no matter how this started. Do you think any of us would get off that easy?

For all of you Bush Loyalists who are screaming that this was a Democrat witch hunt, Boo Hoo. You guys did Clinton, now the Dems are doing you. There's plenty to go around.


All I know for sure is that Paris Hilton has the White House on speed dial now... just in case.

 

[Art Eatman]

Nuthin' like backin' and forthin' and backin' and forthin' and...

No more forthin' and backin', either...

Art