Go And Spy No More

March 27. 2007

Valerie Plame, the woman at the center of the Scooter Libby controversy, was an undercover spy for the United States’ Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). Her husband, ambassador Joseph Wilson, was sent to do prewar intel in a bid to make a case for the invasion of Iraq.

Wilson came back with a report not conducive to a case for war. He basically said in his report “I didn’t find squat.” OK, so he didn’t say it in those words.

He also did an article titled “What I Didn’t Find in Africa.” Well, the answer to that question certainly wasn’t black people, because Africa’s got lots…

Shortly after, his wife was mysteriously outed in the U.S., as a CIA spy, identity and all, in Bob Novak’s “Misson To Niger” syndicated newspaper column. Coincidence? No. Revenge? It sure looks like it.

Plame was doing spy work on behalf of the United States against dangerous Middle Eastern targets, who did not know who she was and who she worked for.

I don’t care what political party you belong to, you should not want U.S. spies outed in any capacity, as it is not only dangerous for the spy and their family, it is illegal under U.S. law and not particularly good for your freedom as the person doing the outing.

For further reference, see Scooter “Rove and Cheney are free and I’m not” Libby.

What I find particularly egregious about the outing of Plame, is that she was in the field as a spy, on behalf of her country, under a fake identity, doing business with/against targets who would have just as soon killed her for this duplicity on behalf of the U.S. government.

And, more importantly, to out a woman is a little punk-like.