Posted by SusanHu on behalf of Ambassador Joseph Wilson, with a new UPDATE note from Larry Johnson at the conclusion
Robert Novak: Justifying the Unjustifiable
"Robert Novak, some other commentators and the Administration continue to try to completely distort the role that Valerie Wilson played with respect to Ambassador Wilson's trip to Niger. The facts are beyond dispute. The Office of the Vice President requested that the CIA investigate reports of alleged uranium purchases by Iraq from Niger."
Ambassador Wilson continues:
"The CIA set up a meeting to respond to the Vice President's inquiry. Another CIA official, not Valerie Wilson, suggested to Valerie Wilson's supervisor that the Ambassador attend that meeting. That other CIA official made the recommendation because that official was familiar with the Ambassador's vast experience in Niger and knew of a previous trip to Africa concerning uranium matters that had been undertaken by the Ambassador on behalf of the CIA in 1999.
"Valerie Wilson's supervisor subsequently asked her to relay a request from him to the Ambassador that he would like the Ambassador to attend the meeting at the CIA. Valerie Wilson did not participate in the meeting."
As the CIA itself has officially confirmed, Valerie Wilson did not send Ambassador Wilson to Niger and she neither suggested him nor recommended him for the trip. Furthermore, the Ambassador agreed to travel to Niger pro bono with only his travel expenses being paid."
-- Ambassador Joseph Wilson
Also posted at No Quarter at the request of Larry Johnson (who also regularly posts diaries here at Daily Kos as L C Johnson)
Update [2006-7-13 14:58:13 by SusanHu]:
See also: PsiFighter37's diary announcing that the Wilsons will hold a press conference "at 10 AM EDT on Friday, July 14 at 10:00 AM at the National Press Club ... to announce the filing of a civil lawsuit against I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby, Vice-President Richard Cheney and Karl Rove."
Update [2006-7-13 15:52:27 by SusanHu]:
SEE ALSO: Deny My Freedom's diary, "
Breaking: First Look at Plame/Wilson Complaint (PDF Format)
Update [2006-7-13 14:55:11 by SusanHu]:
UPDATE FROM LARRY JOHNSON:
Many thanks to Susan for getting this story up. I just got to a computer and wanted to add a couple of notes.
First, Robert Novak has been repeating the nonsense that he learned Valerie was undercover because he looked her up in Who's Who. Excuse me? If you looked up Valerie in Who's Who back in July 2001 it said nothing, I repeat NOTHING, about her working for the CIA. The only way Novak knew that she worked at the CIA was because Karl Rove told him.
Bill Harlow, the CIA's spokesman said more than he should to Novak but at least he warned Novak not to print anything about her identity.
Second, more than 10 former intelligence officers (myself included), identified by name, have stated that Valerie was undercover when she was outed. Those are cold, hard facts. -- Larry Johnson
Update [2006-7-13 16:26:11 by SusanHu]:
Over at SusanG's front-page post, I saw that there's a place you can donate to Joe and Valerie Wilson's legal fund.