Bush Administration Protects Karl Rove After Investigation Reveals
His Act of Treason
Commentary ~ July 12, 2005: George Bush is
under pressure to fire his senior advisor Karl Rove after an investigation
revealed he released the name of an undercover CIA agent. Rove leaked
the name of Valerie Plame, which appeared in a column by right-wing
mouthpiece reporter Robert Novak.
Bush, Rove and others in the administration were apparently
upset that Plame’s husband, Joseph Wilson, went on the record
publicly challenging the president’s assertion that Saddam
Hussein sought to purchase uranium from Niger.
Wilson was sent to Niger in February 2002 to investigate
allegations that Iraq was seeking to buy uranium in the West African
country. He concluded that there was absolutely no truth to the
story, and relayed his findings to the CIA. However, much to his
surprise, a year later George Bush claimed the CIA had proof that
Iraq had in fact tried to purchase uranium from Niger, and he used
these allegations prominently to justify his invasion. Wilson went
public with his doubts in July and a week later at least two Bush
administration officials leaked Plame's identity to six Washington
reporters. Five refused to broadcast the CIA operative's identify,
knowing that to do so could get her killed -- and would be an act
of treason. Only one - conservative columnist Robert Novak - took
the information and included it in one of his columns.
When the incident first came to light, Bush promised
to fire anyone found to have leaked the name of the CIA agent. His
administration is now beating around the Bush in an attempt to backpeddle.
CBC News reported that Bush declined to
answer a direct question Tuesday on Rove's role, and later White
House press secretary Scott McClellan refused to comment for the
second day in a row as reporters fired questions at him. "Are
you going to fire him?" the president was asked twice in a
brief Oval Office appearance with Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong
of Singapore. Both times, The New York Times reported that
Bush ignored the questions.
John Kerry said at the very least Rove ought to be
fired, and Hillary Rodham Clinton said she agreed. We at whywehatebush
are of the opinion that he should be charged with treason. We reported
back on October
23, 2003 that someone on Bush's team blew the cover of the CIA
operative as an act of revenge against her husband, and they whoever
did it should be charge accordingly as an act against this country's
security.
Rove could very much wind up in jail over the incident.
The Intelligence Identities Protection Act of 1982, forbids naming
undercover agents. It is punishable by a $50,000 US fine and 10
years in jail.
However, it is very likely that Bush’s spindoctors
in the White House will cook up some spectacular lie that they will
spoon feed to the American public. The incident will give the Democrats
more reason to despise the administration, while most Republicans
will continue to defend them like loyal sheep.
Let us hope that this is the loose thread that will finally unravel
this illegitimate and tyrannical presidency.
