The Joe Wilson Show (2)

This is from the online edition of the New York Times:

"Libby Guilty of Lying in C.I.A. Leak Case -
I. Lewis Libby Jr., the former chief of staff to Vice President Dick Cheney was convicted today of lying to F.B.I agents and grand jurors investigating the unmasking of a C.I.A.operative amid a burning dispute over the war in Iraq. The jury rejected Mr. Libby’s claims of memory lapses as it convicted him of obstruction of justice, giving false statements to the F.B.I. and perjuring himself, charges embodied in four of the five counts of the indictment."

The "C.I.A. operative" is Valerie Plame, wife of former ambassador Joe Wilson. Joe Wilson spoke at Willamette University a year ago, so, because of the new developments, I post my impression once again:

The Joe Wilson Show - April 07, 2006

now it takes some background information, one can start here for example, to enjoy what I call "the joe wilson show". needless to say, with all his (diplomatic) experience it is hard to find a speaker more eloquent than joe wilson. willamette students and salem townspeople had the pleasure to be witnesses of what it means to "live" freedom of speech.

"Did the Bush administration manipulate intelligence about Saddam Hussein's weapons programs to justify an invasion of Iraq?

Based on my experience with the administration in the months leading up to the war, I have little choice but to conclude that some of the intelligence related to Iraq's nuclear weapons program was twisted to exaggerate the Iraqi threat."



accusing the us-government of starting war in iraq under false pretenses, wilson´s article "what I didn´t find in africa" (first published by "the new york times" in july 2003) brought him into trouble. his wife´s identity as a cia-agent got revealed in an article by columnist robert novak. since this act of treason, "valerie plame" is a name well known in the united states. anyhow, the traitors have not been called to account for their felony yet. and just click on the novak link to get an idea of the variety of persons involved in this scandal.

for wilson, one thing is clear: the government wanted his wife´s identity to be revealed because of three main reasons: to change the subject towards something more advantageous for the government, pure revenge for not supporting the war in iraq and, most important, to make an example of him. the ordinary us-citizens should know that if they did the same to the government than joe wilson, then the government would do to the citizens what it did to joe wilson and his wife.

so wilson sees it as his mission to speak up against such injustice. "you must hold our government to account". the united states depends on the vigilance of the citizens for its success. in his eyes, the bush administration lied and twisted intelligence to get support for a war that should not have been fought under these circumstances.

it´s his word against the governments. and, as always, one has to be very cautious to take every word that´s said for granted. but joe wilson shows that public dispute is far from being dead in the states. and climbing onto a podium and expressing ones believes is by itself an act essential to every vital democracy.