CIA agent outed by President..

[crimresearch]

...ial candidate John Kerry:

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"We referred to this other analyst at the CIA, whom I'll try and call Mr. Smith here, I hope I can keep that straight," Bolton said at one point.

Committee Chairman Richard Lugar, R-Ind., and Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., both mentioned a name, Fulton Armstrong, that had not previously come up in public accounts of the intelligence flap.

It is not clear whether Armstrong is the undercover officer, but an exchange between Kerry and Bolton suggests that he may be.
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http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20050412/ap_on_go_pr_wh/bolton_analyst_1

Why do I get the feeling that we are about to be treated to a highly partisan chorus of "But that's different!"

 

[Eleatic Stranger]

Well, probably because it's rather different.

For example, he's not an undercover operative.

He's even been mentioned in news articles.

The lesson here: FreeRepublic is not a reliable news source. Always check your facts.

 

[Luke T.]

Well, probably because it's rather different.

For example, he's not an undercover operative.

He's even been mentioned in news articles.

The lesson here: FreeRepublic is not a reliable news source. Always check your facts.

So why were they making a big deal out of it and calling him "Mr. Smith?"

 

[aerocontrols]

The lesson here: FreeRepublic is not a reliable news source. Always check your facts.

FreeRepublic?

 

[aerocontrols]

So why were they making a big deal out of it and calling him "Mr. Smith?"

Maybe the point was to protect some other bit of security other than his identity. Knowing who "Mr. Smith" is allows you to determine who someone else is, for example.

 

[fishbob]

It is not clear whether Armstrong is the undercover officer, but an exchange between Kerry and Bolton suggests that he may be.
Why do I get the feeling that we are about to be treated to a highly partisan chorus of "But that's different!"

source

On Wednesday, October 31, the RT on Cuba & U.S. Cuba Relations held a meeting entitled "Cuba and Terrorism Post 911" with Tom Carter/Western Hemisphere Regional Affairs Officer at State Department's Counter Terrorism Office. Fulton Armstrong/National Intelligence Officer for Latin America and Robert Filippone/Deputy Democratic Director, Senate Select Committee on Intelligence were the discussants. Julia Sweig presided.

In 2001, Fulton is speaking in public as a National Intelligence Officer.

Google and 2.4 minutes indicates that that's different.

 

[crimresearch]

Riiiiiight...

And 'Mrs Smith', as we have all been assured, was a top seckrit undercover operative who's name had *never* been mentioned in public.

Not even by her husband, Mr.Wilson....

 

[varwoche]

Riiiiiight...

And 'Mrs Smith', as we have all been assured, was a top seckrit undercover operative who's name had *never* been mentioned in public.

Not even by her husband, Mr.Wilson....

As to Armstrong, you simply quoted an AP reporter. It's the AP reporter who needs to have done better homework in my view.

Why it is that you are making incoherent inferences about Wilson, on the other hand, is a bit strange given your bizarre proclivity to post blatant and seemingly willful misrepresentations concerning Wilson and Plame.

 

[crimresearch]

...The lesson here: FreeRepublic is not a reliable news source. Always check your facts.

Good advice...are you going to take it?

'AP staff writer' linked to Yahoo news is not the Free Republic.

But thanks for getting caught lying.

 

[fishbob]

Riiiiiight...

And 'Mrs Smith', as we have all been assured, was a top seckrit undercover operative who's name had *never* been mentioned in public.

Not even by her husband, Mr.Wilson....

You missed the part where 'Mrs. Smith' was not making public speaking appearances as an intelligence officer. Could this be another blatant and seemingly willful misrepresentation?

 

[crimresearch]

Not until someone comes along and actually provides proof of the assertion that Mrs. Smith was an undercover operative at the time of her 'outing', or that her husband wasn't making the rounds bragging about his 'spy wife'.

Since I am still waiting to see the first piece of direct and reliable evidence on either point, I'm still waiting to make up my mind...
those less skeptical ( or less honest) can feel free to follow whichever media outlet does their thinking for them.

 

[aerocontrols]

The New York Times has another story with very little explanation today.

Though Mr. Armstrong had been identified in news reports two years ago about his dispute with other officials over intelligence involving Cuba, that was when he was the national intelligence officer for Latin America, and his name was no secret. When the Bolton nomination resurrected the old accounts, however, the C.I.A. asked news organizations to withhold his name

No explanation for why, exactly.

 

[crimresearch]

And that is one of the problems with getting enough facts to critically examine issues involving covert employees.

The CIA has used a phrase for Plame that sounds almost exactly somewhat similar to 'covert operative' but isn't.... 'covered employee'...does it mean that she was a spy when outed, or not?
Was Armstrong ever a spy? Then why conceal his identity? And under what legal authority? The spy confidentiality law? Then why isn't Kerry in violation?
Did Wilson commit a crime when bragging about his wife to boost sales of a book, or to get sent to Africa?

And so on, and so on.

Without hard evidence, this whole thing is primarily speculation.

But it is always a good idea to 'out' the pseudo-skeptics and undercover woos at JREF by tossing such questions out there and seeing who's knee jerks.

Fun, too

 

[aerocontrols]

Then why isn't Kerry in violation?

Just so you know, members of Congress and the Senate are protected from all restrictions on speech while speaking in either House.

The Senators and Representatives shall receive a Compensation for their Services, to be ascertained by Law, and paid out of the Treasury of the United States. They shall in all Cases, except Treason, Felony and Breach of the Peace, be privileged from Arrest during their Attendance at the Session of their respective Houses, and in going to and returning from the same; and for any Speech or Debate in either House, they shall not be questioned in any other Place.

Their constituents can boot Kerry or Lugar over this, but it seems the law can't touch either one of them.

 

[crimresearch]

Well, I seem to recall the claim that violating the confidentiality of spies *was* treason..when the wrong people did it.

 

[aerocontrols]

Well, I seem to recall the claim that violating the confidentiality of spies *was* treason..when the wrong people did it.

So you're saying that Lugar might go to prison, then?

 

[fishbob]

Well, I seem to recall the claim that violating the confidentiality of spies *was* treason..when the wrong people did it.

Violation of confidentiality? Yep, another blatant and seemingly willful misrepresentation.

CIA archive at National Intelligence Council website

Fulton Armstrong
National Intelligence Officer for Latin America
Fulton T. Armstrong was appointed National Intelligence Officer for Latin America on 1 June 2000. Previously Mr. Armstrong served as Chief of Staff of the DCI Crime and Narcotics Center (CNC). Prior to that, he served two terms as a Director for Inter-American Affairs at the National Security Council (1995-97 and 1998-99) and as Deputy NIO for Latin America (1997-98).

Mr. Armstrong began his government career in 1980 as Legislative Assistant and Press Secretary to US Representative Jim Leach. In 1984-95, he served as analyst, political-economic officer, and manager specializing in Latin America in the both the intelligence and policy communities.

Prior to joining government, Mr. Armstrong worked four years as a reporter, editor, and translator in Taiwan. He earned his B.S. in Linguistics and Spanish at Georgetown University in 1976. He is fluent in Spanish and Mandarin Chinese.

 

[varwoche]

But it is always a good idea to 'out' the pseudo-skeptics and undercover woos at JREF by tossing such questions out there and seeing who's knee jerks.

Hmm, funny thing about questions. They usually end with question marks....

The article seems to show her as more of an admin type, and also raises another interesting possibility, in that her name came out during a legitimate inquiry into her husband's behavior and *his* published statements about her, which would seem to provide 2 reasons that no one is being prosecuted.

thread

Of course the article in question made literally zero reference to Plame's position at the CIA. And it made literally zero reference to Wilson publishing statements about Plame. Funny too, when this was exposed you exited stage left.

Blatant whole cloth.

 

[crimresearch]

Violation of confidentiality? Yep, another blatant and seemingly willful misrepresentation.

CIA archive at National Intelligence Council website

Well, I'm glad to hear you recant your position that Plame's confidentiality was violated.

What would you call it then?

 

[fishbob]

Well, I'm glad to hear you recant your position that Plame's confidentiality was violated.

What would you call it then?

It was obvious that I was talking about Fulton. But you knew that. AB&SWM.