July 11, 2004

The Truth and Joe Wilson II

By not branding Joe Wilson a liar I hoped to lessen the caustic state of our politics. The problem is evidence is piling up against the former ambassador.

Thankfully, Mark Steyn has the intellectual honesty to no declare that someone lied--even Joe Wilson:

Bush didn't LIE!!!! He was right, and the CIA were wrong. That doesn't mean they LIED!!!! either. Intelligence is never 100 percent. You make a judgment, and in this instance the judgments of the British and Europeans were right, and the judgment of the principal intelligence agency of the world's hyperpower was wrong. That should be a cause of great concern -- for all Americans.

"Happy Anniversary to Joseph C. Wilson IV"

"Bush's State of the Union Speech Redeemed"

UPDATE: Regardless of whether Wilson was lying or was wrong outing Valarie Plame as a CIA agent could still be illegal. Daniel Drezner writes,

Nevertheless, there's a reason this has political traction. The apparent disconnect between what Wilson said in his report versus what he said in June 2003 -- combined with Plame's role in hiring Wilson in the first place, contrary to previous reports -- make it appear that both of them were lying in order to try to embrrass the administration.

This does not excuse whoever leaked Plame's identity to Novak. It does, however, provide an more understandable motivation than simple intimidation.