Agence France-Presse: Libby Trial Full of Political Intrigue

[marmar]

from Truthout:


Ex-White House Aide's Trial Full of Political Intrigue
Agence France-Presse

Monday 15 January 2007

Former White House aide Lewis "Scooter" Libby goes on trial on Tuesday on charges of perjury in a case that has all the elements of a political thriller.

The tale involves a spy's blown cover, the US administration's preparations for war in Iraq and elaborate intrigue among Washington's power brokers.

The trial's origins date back to July 2003, when a former US ambassador, Joseph Wilson, accused President George W. Bush's administration of exaggerating the threat posed by Iraq to justify an invasion.

Soon after, a newspaper columnist revealed that Wilson's spouse, Valerie Plame, was a CIA operative.

Exposing the identity of a CIA agent is a federal crime and special prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald launched an investigation into the leak.

As Fitzgerald called witnesses to testify before a grand jury, speculation raged about who in the White House may have plotted retaliation against Wilson for his criticism.

Journalists were summoned before the grand jury, and one from the New York Times, Judith Miller, went to jail for close to three months for refusing to cooperate.

But the suspense ended with a bit of anti-climax in September, when former deputy secretary of state Richard Armitage - not at all considered a hawk on the Iraq war - admitted with embarrassment that he inadvertently outed Plame. .....(more)

The rest of the article is at: http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/011507Z.shtml