Outed Former CIA Operative to Valerie Plame: Get Over Yourself
Today's Washington Post "Free for All" section included a letter to the editor from one R.E. Pound, a CIA veteran who retired after 33 years of service in 2009, some 31 years after being outed in a book as an operative. Pound took to task former CIA operative Valerie Plame for her "ludicrous" claim "that the exposure [of her identity] forced an end to her career in intelligence."
After all, Pound conducted an investigation "charged with looking into possible damage in one location caused by Valerie Plame's outing."
"There was none," Pound noted, and complained that the claims of the new "Fair Game" film "devalue the resolve of the officers who have overcome truly dangerous exposure, and they cheapen the risk from laying bare their very real achievements."
Here's the letter in full as published in the November 12 paper:
In 1978, my CIA affiliation was exposed by Philip Agee in his book "Dirty Work II." I'm nothing special; more than a few colleagues have been exposed at one time or another. I went on to serve nearly 34 years.
As luck would have it, I was at one point charged with looking into possible damage in one location caused by Valerie Plame's outing. There was none.
So enough with the overwrought claims of injury that "Fair Game" suggests. Those claims devalue the resolve of the officers who have overcome truly dangerous exposure, and they cheapen the risk from laying bare their very real achievements.
It was wrong to expose Plame. It was ludicrous for her to claim that the exposure forced an end to her career in intelligence. In the words of my favorite poet, A.E. Housman: " 'Tis sure much finer fellows have fared much worse before."
R.E. Pound, Reston
The writer served in the CIA from 1976 to 2009.
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Comments
The Joe Wilson Story
Submitted by KC Mulville on Sun, 11/14/2010 - 3:21am.
You guys don't know this, but a while ago, the State Department called me up. They knew I was once in Nicaragua, so they asked for my help. I agreed. The State Department said that they'd heard rumors that Hugo Chavez was trying to buy nuclear weapons. They asked me to go check it out.
I went. I met up with a few old friends in the Nicaraguan government. Over a few days of dinners, drinks, and hobnobbing, those friends assured me that Chavez hadn't asked for, sought, or bought any weapons. I went back to Washington. I didn't write anything down or offer presentation or anything. I didn't meet with any higher-ups. I just told a couple officials at the State Department that I didn't see any proof that Chavez was trying to buy anything, and that I doubted the story. That was it.
Months later, the president said in a speech that the US believed Chavez was trying to buy nuclear weapons from Nicaragua. Hey, maybe I missed something. I don't know. Did the State Department have information other than mine? I don't know. Maybe they found new evidence. I don't know. Maybe we should investigate.
* * * * *
At this point, we are in exactly the same place Joe Wilson was, when he wrote the trigger for this whole incident. Read his op-ed. He doubted the accusation that Saddam Hussein was trying to buy nuclear material, but even he wasn't so certain what the facts were.
* * * * *
Now, a question ... does any of this sound as if I was so important ... so threatening to the stability of the administration ... was I the smoking gun that might bring down the presidency?Is my story a tale of a courageous whistle-blower, who suffered retaliation by the government of the United States ruining my life? Is my story the "motive" for 3 more days of the Condor?
No. Wilson was a minor official who took a trip, and came back with a verbal denial. He was a barely noticed part of a much larger story. The idea that he was a target of a government conspiracy is ridiculous. What basically happened was that a self-important creep wanted to tell the world "I told you so," started throwing insults at the White House, and for a blink of an eye the White House stupidly got into a pissing match with this clown. End of story.
Like the CIA guy said in that blog: get over yourself.
One day I hope Scooter Libby is exonerated ...
Submitted by Red Jeep on Sun, 11/14/2010 - 8:05am.
...of his conviction in this Valerie Plame lie and his fines repayed to him. The left was really hoping this "outing" would doom the Bush presidency.
While all this circus was happening Colin Powell and Richard Armitage , Powell's deputy. knew the truth and remained silent. Armitage was the "leaker."
The move Fair Game is not doing well. The movie has been out 8 days and grossed $1,179,000 in the U.S. and $1,103,907 overseas. Cost 22 mill to make.
Get over yourself.
Submitted by motherbelt on Sun, 11/14/2010 - 8:09am.
Couldn't be said any better.
Hopefully, once the Wilsons enjoy another ten minutes of fame while this movie makes its pathetic little run, they will go away for good.
RIP Valerie Plame Not so
Submitted by Jack Bauer on Sun, 11/14/2010 - 9:05am.
RIP
Valerie Plame
Not so Secret CIA Agent
1997-2002
Here lies the career of
Valerie Plame.
She wasn't much good,
it's hardly a shame.
All of the above Mr Obama? --- How about ALL OF THE BELOW, instead.
A complete non-story about
Submitted by fitzfong on Sun, 11/14/2010 - 11:41am.
A complete non-story about two DC-area nobody grifters with delusions of grandeur and big mouths sneaking into the Washington establishment through the back door assisted by incompetent Democrats...it I didn't know any better, I would have thought the Salahis were Joe Wilson and Valerie Plame.
Many people permanently damaged their reputations over these two self-absorbed bottom feeders: Tim Russert, David Gregory, Andrea Mitchell, Colin Powell, Richard Armitage, the impossibly corrupt Patrick Fitzgerald and, perhaps worst of all, George W. Bush for his refusal to pardon Scooter Libby after he was "convicted" of a non-existent crime with the help of a rigged jury and an unfit judge. A scandalous chapter in American History.
"I spent a lot of money on booze, birds and fast cars. The rest I just squandered." -George Best