After reading “Bush information leak reeks of
Watergate” (April 11), I would like to set a few facts
straight. In the article, Springmeyer asserts that “Bush
himself authorized leaks of classified information about Iraq prior
to the invasion.” Background information is helpful in order
to clarify the Bush information leak story.
According to an April 7 article in The New York Times, the
president authorized I. Lewis Libby, Vice President Dick
Cheney’s former chief of staff, to discuss information
contained within the classified National Intelligence Estimate with
Judith Miller, a former Times reporter.
The report included a summary of the intelligence on Iraq prior
to the 2003 invasion. Libby’s meeting with Miller to discuss
the National Intelligence Estimate took place on July 8, 2003
““ about three months after the invasion of Iraq.
Although the information was technically classified at the time,
the Bush administration was in the process of declassifying it, and
it was released to the press on July 18, 2003. Miller did not
publish her story on the report until after the official
release.
The document was declassified for an obvious reason: It was no
longer sensitive information. With all major combat operations
deemed over, whatever the intelligence community thought Saddam was
in possession of prior to the war was no longer sensitive
information. Therefore, the Bush administration saw it fit to
release the document.
So, let me get this straight: Springmeyer is outraged by the
fact that the Bush administration “leaked” some
outdated intelligence information to the media that was going to be
officially declassified ten days later?
Springmeyer shouldn’t hold his breath waiting for answers
to the question of who “outed” CIA agent Valerie Plame.
Libby isn’t being tried on charges of exposing government
secrets (or secret agents). Libby is charged with two counts of
perjury, two counts of making false statements, and one count of
obstruction of justice.
Basically, the special council is saying, “We didn’t
figure out who exposed Valerie Plame, but we managed to nail some
guy who didn’t have his story straight.” And, although
it is known that Libby mentioned Plame’s name in
conversations with Miller, the first journalist to
“out” Plame was Robert Novak, not Judith Miller.
While the special council jailed Miller for contempt of court
when she refused to expose Libby as her source, the special council
has yet to speak to Novak. This looks more like a witch hunt than a
Watergate.
Williams is a graduate student in the microbiology,
immunology and molecular genetics department.