Why I consider Rove, Cheney, Novak and Libby to be traitors to America

I have spoken rather harshly of the people who gave Valerie Plame Wilson's name and CIA affiliation to members of the Press to be published. It really doesn't matter to me why they did it. Richard Armitage is only slightly less culpable, since he apparently convinced Patrick Fitzgerald that when he gave her name to Bob Novak that it was somehow an accident. I am on the fence whether it was actually accidental or if Fitzgerald simply decided he could not meet the elements of proof of the rather ovbviously inadequate law against spreading such classified information. When I say I have spoken harshaly of those people, rest assured. I have toned my real fealings towards them down markedly before putting those feelings into words.

I will also add that the fact that Karl Rove and Dick Cheney both still have security clearances is an utter disgrace to the entire Bush administration and to the frightened overage child who occupied the office of President. No greater display of Bush's utter incompetence for this job can be demonstrated.

That said, let me refer you to what Brent Budowsky Says about the Plame case:

The CIA leak case is not about Joe Wilson, or Valerie Plame, or whether one supports or opposes the Iraq war. The CIA leak case is about integrity and truth in intelligence, which is essential in defeating terrorism, in winning wars when we must fight them, and avoiding wars when we should not fight them. The CIA leak case is about honor and patriotism, about protecting those who serve bravely and covertly, just as we should stand completely behind men and women in uniform.

The CIA leak case is about the need for strong human intelligence, a need that is urgent and has been urgent for more than three decades.

The CIA leak case is about the obsession and ideology that disrespects facts, and disrespects truth, and declares Mafia-like vendettas against those who make good faith and professional efforts to ascertain them. The CIA leak case is about using partisan and political pressure to distort and pervert the search for truth, which is what good intelligence is all about, and the CIA leak case is about what goes wrong when these cardinal principles, time honored for every intelligence service on earth, are violated. [Snip]

It is immaterial whether the CIA Identities Act was technically violated. In my view it probably was; reasonable people can disagree; Patrick Fitzgerald said that lies threw sand in the gears of justice, so perhaps we will ultimately find out, perhaps not.

Understand the protestations of those who argue most aggresively for pardon, are those who argue most aggressively that the identity law was not broken, but support the pardon in large measure because they also fear the ultimate revelation of the truth, whole truth and nothing but the truth. [Editor - highlighting is mine.]

I respect Patrick Fitzgerald. Someone committed Treason - never forget that - publicizing the identity of a CIA officer is High Treason against the United States, even if done by a reporter or by accident or after someone else has already passed that information on to the reporters. If Patrick Fitzgerald says he could not successfully prosecute that Treason because "Scooter" Libby took it on himself to lie, perjure himself, and thereby Obstruct Justice (which the jury unanimously agree that he did) there is no basis for a Pardon.

Once Libby's appeals are completed and he is either clearly guilty or found that his guilt is not proven in court, he should be called back to the Grand Jury to testify again aboput who actually committed Treason. If he lies, perjures himself and again obstructs justice, that is a new crime for which he can again be tried. This is true even if he gets a Pardon for this original crime.

The incompetence, corruption, criminality and treason of this administration knows no bounds. Digging those things out and punishing the culprits decisively and exposing the extent of their failures and criminality is extremely important to the future of America. There should never be a statute of limitations for these Republicans.