By Congressman John Conyers
As I have considered the case of the President's top advisor, Karl Rove, disclosing to the press that Ambassador Wilson's wife was a CIA operative in order to discredit and/or seek retribution against the Ambassador, it has become increasingly clear that we need to focus beyond the specific facts of that case -- as important and damaging as they are.
Properly understood, the outing of Valerie Plame appears to be just another facet of the deceptions evident in the Downing Street Minutes, and the overall marketing and disinformation of the Iraq war itself. As I have been putting together the chronology of the events and statements leading up to the war and subsequent to the war itself, the pattern becomes more and more obvious -- the Administration emphasizes and overstates facts needed to justify the war; seeks to discredit or punish anyone or thing who dares to challenge its assertions; and when the original justificiation no longer works, comes up with a new after-the-fact set of justifications. Then the cycle of deception and retribution begins over and over again.
Obviously, there are echoes of Vietnam here, but in many respects today's events are more dangerous. We have a press that is far too compliant, and a Majority Party all to willing to support the Administration and its deceptions at any cost.
Anyway, those are my lastest thoughts. I hope to have more news for you on Rovegate in the coming days, and I plan to stay very busy in the lead up to the nationwide town hall meetings on DSM and other deceptions to be held next weekend.