I had already wrote a
rebuttal of the old GOP talking points memo on Wilson.
However, today, the GOP released A new press release bashing Wilson.
Despite the fact that bashing Wilson has little to do with outing a CIA agent, discrediting Wilson (and thus making outing plame to discredit Wilson somehow becomes legitimate) seems to be their new angle.
Below is my rebuttal of the new press release.
This was origionally posted as a
comment in another
diary, but upon urging, I made this it's own diary.
1.) Wilson Insisted That The Vice President's Office Sent Him To Niger
he's only said that the VP's office required additional information. Actually, he has denied claims that the VP personally sent him:
emphasis mine:
"In February 2002, I was informed by officials at the Central Intellgence Agency that Vice President Cheney's office had questions about a particular intellegence report. ... The agency officials asked if I would travel to Niger to check out the story so they could provide a response to the vice president's office." (Joseph C. Wilson, Op-Ed, "What I Didn't Find In Africa," The New York Times, 7/6/03)
2.) Wilson Claimed The Vice President And Other Senior White House Officials Were Briefed On His Niger Report
Perhaps. However, the question this brings up is...if they weren't, why not?
However, there is evidence that they were in fact briefed:
On March 8, 2003, the intelligence report on my trip was disseminated within the U.S. Government according the Senate report (pg. 43). Further, the Senate report states that “in early March, the Vice President asked his morning briefer for an update on the Niger uranium issue.” That update from the CIA “also noted that the CIA would be debriefing a source who may have information related to the alleged sale on March 5.” The report then states the “DO officials also said they alerted WINPAC analysts when the report was being disseminated because they knew the high priority of the issue.” The report notes that the CIA briefer did not brief the Vice President on the report. (Pg. 46) (Joseph Wilson Fights Back)
3.) Wilson Has Claimed His Niger Report Was Conclusive And Significant
The CIA gave his report a good rating:
"The CIA’s DO gave the former ambassador’s infomation a grade of 'good,' which means that it added to the IC’s body of understanding on the issue," (Senate Select Committee On Intelligence, “Report On The U.S. Intelligence Community’s Prewar Assessments On Iraq,” 7/7/04)
4.) Wilson Denied His Wife Suggested He Travel To Niger In 2002
There is no proof that she actually suggested that he go to Niger.
5.) Wilson Has Claimed His 1999 Trip To Niger Was Not Suggested By His Wife
I didn't even know there was another trip in 1999. And if so, why is this even relevent?
6.) Wilson Claimed He Was A Victim Of A Partisan Smear Campaign
Ummm....
7.) A Month Before The Bob Novak And Matthew Cooper Articles Ever Came Out, Wilson Told The Washington Post That Previous Intelligence Reports About Niger Were Based On Forged Documents
Again, this is relevent how? how does when he told the Washington Post this information have any relation to Plame getting outed?
8.) Wilson Claimed His Book Would Enrich Debate
And it has.
9.) Wilson Claimed The CIA Provided Him With Information Related To The Iraq-Niger Uranium Transaction
If he was taking a friggen CIA sponsored trip to Niger about such a transaction, I would sure hope they provided him with what information they had.
10.) Wilson Claimed He Is A Non-Partisan "Centrist"
Indeed. He gave money to both Gore and Bush in the 2000 election cycle.
From open secrets:
3/26/1999 $2000 Al Gore
3/26/1999 $2000 Al Gore
4/22/1999 -$1000 Al Gore
5/20/1999 $1000 Al Gore
In the press thing he just did with Schumer, he said he only gave $1000 to Gore. It could be just a mistake, but the fact that the search came up with two $2000 donations on the same day to Gore suggests that it could just be a repeat entry of the same donation in the database.