Fitzgerald Investigation of Leak of Identity of CIA Agent

But, he doesn't have the ability to give long, detailed answers to complicated problems. He can't keep the facts straight, and ends up sounding like a fool.

Even so, what issues in particular do you think the public isn't being given the information on?

Cycloptichorn

Spymasters reveal untold story of Libby's commutation
ROBERT MORTON

Lewis "Scooter" Libby, the former chief of staff to Vice President Dick Cheney, received a 30-month prison sentence for his repeated and blatant lies, which bamboozled the serious criminal investigation into who disclosed the identity of Valerie Plame (Wilson), a CIA covert intelligence officer. Shortly after, President Bush commuted the convicted felon's 21¼2 year prison sentence, saying it was "too harsh."

Unfortunately, most undercover CIA case officers charged with preventing WMDs from reaching America's shores disagree with the President's assessment. James Marcinkowski served 24 years in the CIA and went through intensive training with Plame in 1985. She was recruited upon graduation from college and was much younger than Marcinkowski and the other CIA recruits. He told me that she (Plame) accepted a risky non-official cover (NOC) assignment after the training ended. Third world countries merely deport a CIA officer with official cover (OC), but NOCs like Plame could be executed.


Most overseas CIA operatives use state department official cover (OC) to play the James Bond role, commonly seen wearing fancy attire and mingling with foreign bigwigs at embassy cocktail parties. By assuming non-official cover (NOC), Valerie Plame didn't pretend to be a "fake diplomat" and enjoy the protection of diplomatic immunity. If caught by foreign intelligence, she wouldn't be granted a Libby-style "get out of jail free" card to protect her from prosecution under that country's laws. The deep cover she assumed was her only chance of survival.

Due to Libby's mendacity, Americans may never know the persons employed at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue who exposed Plame and the CIA front company, BJ & Associates. I'm amazed at his potential to dutifully shield and protect his White House superiors, while waywardly betraying his conscience and country. America's security hinges on the CIA's ability to create "deep cover" to protect NOCs like Plame. She used a vast mosaic of lies and props to penetrate foreign organizations in order to detect and prevent rogue states from getting their hands on nuclear material. She concealed her true identity as an intelligence operative who worked for the CIA's enigmatic Non-Proliferation Center, a cadre of analysts, technical experts, and former field operatives, by venturing to Middle Eastern countries masquerading as an analyst for a CIA front company registered on the Dun & Bradstreet database, called Brewster-Jennings & Associates. Shortly after the Plame leak, I looked up the company's listing in Dun & Bradstreet's database. It had vanished.
The word "betrayal!" resonates in my mind as I recall conversing with Marcinkowski about how CIA case officers fret over the safety of the foreign assets (spies) they recruit. He spent much time with them at Christmas and met their spouses and children during the recruitment process. When CIA operatives recruit assets (spies) overseas, their spouses and kids will pay the price as well if the operation is uncovered, or should I say leaked?

NOCs like Plame have double anxiety ... they worry not only about themselves, but the foreign assets and their families as well.

To America's CIA clandestine spymasters, President Bush's commutation of Libby's prison sentence was, indeed, an act of betrayal. These highly trained operatives can no longer carry "promises of protection" or maintain the level of trust they once maintained among the foreign spies they handle. It's tougher for them to not only recruit new spies, but to convince existing ones to continue sharing vital secrets about the proliferation of WMD.

Marcinkowski believes Valerie Plame's exposure triggered foreign intelligence services to pore through passport databases to determine if she ever set foot upon their soil. They undoubtedly tracked down those she had contact with, placing the lives of many CIA foreign spies and their families in peril.

The White House leak and the commutation of Libby's 21¼2 year prison sentenced damaged our national security. Due to a drop in foreign spy recruitment, an information shortage exists on unaccounted for nuclear material and weapons of mass destruction (WMD) proliferation. It will take years for our overseas CIA operatives to regain the trust among their various spies and to recruit new ones. Until then, America remains more vulnerable to terrorist attack.

It's time to redeem the CIA for the wasted human sweat and money spent in creating Plame's BJ & Associates deep cover operation and to help overseas operatives regain the trust they need to recruit foreign spies. A patriotic president would re-evaluate his hasty commutation of Libby's sentence and judge it to be immoral... unless he fears the 21¼2-year prison stretch may tempt Libby to sing.


Robert Morton writes commentaries about the U.S. intelligence community. Contact him at [email protected] or visit his Declassified Secrets Web site on Yahoo at: www.robertmorton.net.

Advocate, What I can't seem to understand is why conservatives continue to support Bush when we know he's dangerous to our country's security and well-being.

It's not only the revelation of Plame to the world, but the torture chambers approved by Bush, the illegal wiretaps, the "progress" being made in Iraq, the loss of many of our Arab friends around the world, the increase in world terrorism, spending $2.7 billion every week on this illegal war, the cut in veteran's benefits and services while telling all to "support our troops," and disregarding the balance of power of congress to investigate potential crimes against our citizens by refusing to let anyone in his administration to respond to subpoenas. What ever happened to the American brain?

The last bastion of conservative rhetoric has been about our economy; the 3 to 4 percent growth funded by the Bush tax cuts, but we learned recently that the GDP were overstated for the past three years, and those numbers will be revised downward. It makes one wonder when seven million more Americans are going without health insurance, but those same conservatives seem immune to the struggle of the middle-class and the poor. They're probably not part of those seven million. Amazing!

CI, hear, hear! I share the same wonderment about the right. They seem to have a physiological blockage for the truth when it comes to their leaders.

Psssst. It was Richard Armitage, guys. Get a clue.

Then the CIA, Joseph Wilson, and Novak, in that order.

That is total fiction. You need to get a clue. I find it incomprehensible after all the posts on this topic that anyone can be either that misinfomed or dishonest.

Roxxxanne, You gotta consider the source; okie is one of the most misinformed member on a2k; maybe the top three.

BTW, it seems okie is oblivious to the fact that more people challenge his statements on almost every subject he participates. He can't take the hint.

Your place atop that particular leader board is very secure, c.i.

Tico, you really need to check the mirror now and then. No one is more consistently wrong that you.

Heh ... good one.

Advocate, I don't even bother responding to Tico's posts; he's a big waste of time, and contributes nothing to a2k. He's one of the 3.

<raises other two hands>

gus, In my books, I look at your posts as witty, funny, and sometimes downright base. LOL Put your two hands down.

Who are the other two? Let me guess.

Chai and Shewolf?

gus, It ain't those two; not even close.

To each his own. I have yet to see gus post any reasoned and documented argument of any kind to support a belief. I would like to see one to see if there is any substance there or any stated reasons behind the apparent idealogy. Feel free to give it a try any time, gus, per your chosen interest or topic.

Imposter, seriously, would you rather just preach to the choir? Would that make you happier?

What choir? I just callz em the waze I seez em.

I'd like to see that from c.i. Braying out those cheers to the choir is as intellectually involved as he tends to get. But cheers to you, okie, for seeking out substance from some of these folks.

Thanks Ticomaya, and I always enjoy reading your posts, keep up the good work.

I know this forum can be discouraging in terms some of the opinions posted here, but it is at least cheap entertainment compared to a few other things.