Plame Dares Call It Treason

On MSNBC last night Valerie Plame called the Bush Administration's outing of her undercover CIA status TREASON. Asked if she anticipated that Bush and Cheney would retaliate for Joe Wilson's Op-Ed article outing the Administration's case for the Iraq War by attacking her, she said that that was not on their list of contemplated consequences of speaking the truth to power. Never, she said, did she think that the Administration would compromise national security for domestic political gain.

Parenthetically, we have learned how gigantic the fraud perpetrated by the Administration was. Hans Blix, the weapons' inspector leader whose mission was cut short by the US invasion, said that IAEA knew in a day that the claimed Niger connection was a complete fraud. Blix was astounded that such an obvious fraud nonetheless made its way from Italian intelligence to the British and then to the Americans.

Although we can never be certain, it has been reported without contradiction that Valerie Plame's undercover work at CIA involved tracking weapons programs in Iran. Thus, when Cheney told Libby about her identity, and to reveal that to selected reporters, as a means of retaliating, he was providing aid-and-comfort to enemies of the United States. That's treason.

As egregious as treason may be, doing nothing about it is even worse. The Democrats in Congress have made political calculations (and, wrongly concluded from the Clinton impeachment that it would work against them), rather than standing up to their Constitutional obligations.

The information supporting Plame's assertion emerged from Fitzgerald's investigation and the Libby trial.* Cheney's authority--granted by Bush---to declassify secrets may insulate him from criminal charges of revealing State secrets But, it does not change the treasonous nature of revealing and thus compromising a program key to our national security.

Wilson spoke truth to power, and paid for it, as if he, or the truth, were the villian. So long as Cheney remains unimpeached, the real villain goes unpunished, and the impetus for future whistleblowers to step forward is diminished.

And, so are we all.

*(I first wrote about this at the time of the Libby trial, see here)

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Comments

[ReasonIsMyReligion]

Re "Cheney's authority--granted by Bush---to declassify secrets may insulate him from criminal charges of revealing State secrets..."

Mr. Abrams is too kind.

There is a process to declassifying secrets.

Blurting them out doesn't count, nor does asking underlings to blurt them out count.

Sheesh.

[PaulAbrams]

I am not as "kind" as you suggest. If you read my prior post on this subject (click on "see here" below), you will see that I raised the possibility that Cheney cannot declassify by just blurting out the information, but I don't think that is the main point:
whether or not he has such authority, he still provided "aid-and-comfort" to enemies of the United States. For that he should be impeached.

Incidentally, Cheney said today that anyone who tries to do business with Iran is going to have trouble doing business with or through US companies. He should know. When he ran Halliburton he bragged in the company's annual report about business they were doing with Iraq and Iran.

[OldKnute]

Oh now Rat-Gas!

Look, it was simple.

Break into the Niger embassy in Italy, steal some letterhead, Umm? Those funny diplomatic looking papers and stamps, forge the reports and pass them out.

The Brits won`t tell of their source, but rather, only offer confirmation they had reason to have Niger on their radar. The Germans won"t tell their sources either. The Americans are just as concerned as everyone over possible Yellow Cake and are not going to divulge how they found out.

It was a perfect storm of ,,, Yeah we heard,,,, you heard,,, they heard,,, but nobody was really comparing notes on,,, HOW,,, they heard.

And guess what?

Niger dosen`t want to get in the Bush/Cheney,,,, Terrorist Crosshairs,,,, either, so NIGER is all silent,,, TOO!

Hans Blix was trashed by Fox News for months leading into the war, painting him as a near,,, plant,,, by the UN with possible Russian/Commie leanings that would have done McCarthy proud.

The FACTS!

When Valerie Plame was outted by the Rovian/Cheney/Bush-a-ninies, about 20 years of Non-Proliferation work and people went with her. A whole WEDGE of CIA expertise was lost. YEARS OF WORK!

OH MY!

You mean the SAME,,,, Non-proliferation people we need to confirm whether or not IRAN is near having Nukes????

Those,,,,, Non-Proliferation,,,, CIA FOLKS?

Yes, I think this was Treason!

Italy, Niger, on to the Brits, Germans and Americans, nobody checking facts, Wilson and Blix made to look like cowards and liars by Fox News.

Yep!

A Perfect Storm of Cheney/Bush/Rove strategies and NO WAY to confirm Iran`s present day Nuke capabilities.

WOW!

These guys are good!!!!!!!

Hey!

But where was the WORLDS Media?

Oh that"s right!

Rupert Murdock, Fox News, Court TV, had everyone tired up in Santa Barbara lynching Michael Jackson for THREE YEARS, because he granted a wish to a poor dieing KID and let him sleep in his room!

(Michael slept on the floor)


WAIT!!!!!

Where does that leave us now? Umm?Bimbing Iran?

Pheeeeew!

Nothing has changed.

All the best

Knute (Neo-LIB)

[OneWoman]

"You mean the SAME,,,, Non-proliferation people we need to confirm whether or not IRAN is near having Nukes????"

Wow. I hadn't even considered that. Thanks for taking the time to write this post.

[breakfast]

Article III, Section 3 of the Constitution:

"Treason against the United States shall consist only in levying War against them, or in adhering to their Enemies, giving them Aid and Comfort."

There is no requirement of a declaration of war, nor is the term "formal" enemy anywhere used.

Bush may not actually adhere to our Enemies, but he has surely given them Aid and Comfort, however indirectly.

In any case, Bush is certainly a traitor to the Spirit of America. Treason could easily be added to the charges brought in an impeachment hearing, except that the Congress is so clearly derelict in its duty by having taken impeachment "off the table" when it so clearly should be their number one priority.

And as a practical matter, impeachment is probably the only way to prevent a ruinous attack on Iran. And I certainly agree that "this vile administration should be purged from top to bottom."

Impeach..........and purge.

[jhNY]

While giving the commentariat the gristle of 'weapons of mass destruction' and 'war on terror' to chew on endlessly, the Bush cabal has changed the geopolitical reality of power in the mid-East forever. The US has taken possession of what might be the world's largest patch of oil yet untapped on earth: Iraq. We now control oil flow and price for the remainder of the fossil fuel era: fait accompli. To obscure their own motives for doing so, it became necessary for the Bush cabal to destroy the character and reputation of a couple who mistakenly thought telling the truth to the American people might make a difference. In the long run, telling the American people they've got all the gas they need to run their economy is going to prove the more compelling narrative.

[charlietuna11]

i was a proud registered member of the n.y.state conservative party for almost 40 years.that party relationship ended when the so called conservative white house outed valerie plame and conservatives through out our nation remained totally silent.i am furious at myself that i never recognized there hateful ways and deceitfulness.i remember the first president bush calling those who out agents as committers of treason.the current bush is beyond description..to dismiss libbys prisin time is insulting to his own father..no surprise there.i'm sure his father still feels the humiliation of his little boy going a.w.o.l. after pulling strings getting him in the natl.guard..ive had the honor of knowing some operatives including a middle east station chief..i would trust these people with my life..are there any people out there who feel the same way about the bush and cheneys of this world?

[ConcernedAboutRFuture]

YES Charlie! A MAJORITY of Americans. Unfortunately, we are run by a dictator that the government "watchdogs" are not stopping... so be prepared for a lot more hell.

I am PROUD that you are no longer a registered member of the INSANE republican party.

[TomR]

Excellent post Charlie.

- Tom

[Shasta]

I agree. Excellent post.

[LeslieGriffith]

SPEAKING TRUTH TO POWER CAN GET YOU KILLED. THANK GOODNESS FOR MEN LIKE JOSEPH WILSON AND VALERIE PLAME, AND THANK GOODNESS EVENTHOUGH IT'S DANGEROUS TO SPEAK OUT, WE AREN'T SHIPPED OFF TO GUANTANOMO OURSELVES----YET.

I'M SO GLAD THE TWO OF YOU HELD ON TO ONE ANOTHER DURING THAT HORRIBLE TIME. THE "DICKS" IN THE WORLD WOULD HAVE LIKED NOTHING BETTER THAN TO BREAK UP TWO PEOPLE WITH LOVE FOR ONE ANOTHER AND THE HEARTS OF LIONS.

ROAR ON---

[Crowhaul]

The absolute worse thing that happened when we Dems took power was the 'impeachment is off the table' strategy. Think of the message this sent!

Treason was given carte blanche by Pelosi...

[ConcernedAboutRFuture]

The only thing that rings in my head when I hear "pelosi"... is "I hate Pelosi... I hate Pelosi... I hate Pelosi." I cringe when I mistakenly see her talk while channel surfing... and then I turn off the TV.

How does she sleep at night knowing how many people hate her.... perhaps she sleeps well. She is far more like a republican than a democrat.

[research]

Impeach Polosi! http://www.thepetitionsite.com/2/impeach-pelosi-first

[Ravenlea]

It is stunningly disappointing that Congress is choosing not to impeach these men. They are criminals of the worst order. I am ashamed of my country.

[Pdubya]

It is treason.

we still have a constitution?

black male
blue dog dem for ron paul

[oldpotsmuggler]

Cheney should be impeached. Bush should be impeached. This vile administration should be purged from top to bottom.

No one that I'm aware of in my lifetime, however, has committed treason against this country. Jane Fonda did not. The Democrats have not. Bushco has not. Right wing talk radio has not.

Treason is giving aid and comfort to a formal enemy of the United States. For there to be a formal enemy there must be a formal Declaration of War. And after that there must be "aid and comfort" which generally means doing things like supplying actual war making instruments and/or information. Failing to be blood thirsty enough, yearning for peace, working for peace, and even conducting counter productive military adventurism is not treasonous, and it lowers the quality of public discourse for right wingers (and now, out of exasperation, left wingers) to throw these accusations around groundlessly.

[dzho]

That's not what the US constitution says treason is.

[oldpotsmuggler]

Article III, Section 3, United States Constitution: "Section 3. Treason against the United States, shall consist only in levying war against them, or in adhering to their enemies, giving them aid and comfort. No person shall be convicted of treason unless on the testimony of two witnesses to the same overt act, or on confession in open court."

[loslobo]

Would you consider allowing your country sent to war basied on lies treason?

Would you consider this administration blatantly ignoring "terrorist" threats treason?

Whould you consider this administration implementing these threats treason?

To the uneducated it may look like the administration has been a complete failure. But when you look at through neo-con eyes it has been a complete and total success. They overthrow a sovereign state, occupy it, build permanent bases, and establishing perpetual war.

As a "war" president the administration has taken phenomenal measures to make our constitution irrelevant and congress impotent.

These traitors deserve Saddam's fate.

"History cannot be permanently falsified; the myth cannot stand up to the scrutiny of scientific research, the sinister web will be brought into the light and torn to pieces, however artfully it has been spun." Dr. Jakob Ruchti

[oldpotsmuggler]

Despicable in almost every regard, yes. High Crimes and Misdemeanors, yes. Criminal felonies, yes. Treason (see above), no.

Sorry, the right believes itself entitled to make their own definitions of words. We are supposed to know better.

[SirScud]

Speaking of lowering the quality of public discourse, "oldpotsmuggler" wrote.....
"No one that I'm aware of in my lifetime, however, has committed treason against this country. Jane Fonda did not. The Democrats have not. Bushco has not. Right wing talk radio has not.

Treason is giving aid and comfort to a formal enemy of the United States. For there to be a formal enemy there must be a formal Declaration of War. And after that there must be "aid and comfort" which generally means doing things like supplying actual war making instruments and/or information. Failing to be blood thirsty enough, yearning for peace, working for peace, and even conducting counter productive military adventurism is not treasonous, and it lowers the quality of public discourse for right wingers (and now, out of exasperation, left wingers) to throw these accusations around groundlessly."
Would it be "groundless" to suggest that Aldridge Ames might have committed treason in your lifetime? Frankly, good sir, your screed comes across more like the rantings of a 'tweeker', than it resembles the observations of a 'rasta'.

[Titus]

Ms. Plame deserves to be honored for her service, both covertly and now after being outed, continuing to speak "truth to power". The administration's treatment of her situation was reprehensible. The subsequent investigations and conviction of Scooter Libby for his role in the affair was a pitiful excuse for justice in this situation.

Ms. Plame and Mr. Wilson, keep doing what you're doing. You are both patriots and represent this country well. I only wish I could say the same about the Bush Administration

[Tellmethetruth]

Why doesn't Ambassador Wilson run for President? Third party or write-in - all of us at the grass roots level would work to elect anyone didn't lie to us about this war or worse plan to keep it going or even more unthinkable spread it to Turkey, Iran, and Syria.

Please will some third party person step to the plate and give us a "honest Joe" alternative?