Valerie Plame Essay Essays

Valerie Plame Essay Essays Valerie Plame Essay Essay Valerie Plame Essay Essay Valerie Plame Causal Essay Ever since Benjamin Franklins older brother, James Franklin, invented the newspaper, the American public has come to rely on this form of media to gather and gain information about the world around them. The Valerie Plame affair became a huge controversy in which the newspaper played a vital role in its unfolding. July 14, 2003, The Washington Post releases the identity of a covert CIA operative, Valerie Plame Wilson. The reporting of her secret identity causes an investigation of the White House. Speculation surfaces that the Bush administration leaked her identity n retribution of her husband publicly criticizing the validity of the United States invading Iraq (Ballard and Dumouchelle 1). The major events leading to the Valerie Plame affair include President Bushs State of the Union address, and Joe Wilsons article What I didnt find in Africa, and Robert D. Novaks column in The Washington Post. The most influential piece of evidence leading up to the Plame affair included President Bushs State of the Union address. On January 28, 2003 in his State of the Union address, President George W. Bush uttered the now historical 16 words laiming Justification for the invasion of Iraq. Those powerful words were, The British government has learned that Saddam Hussein recently sought significant quantities of uranium from Africa. (Memorable State of the Union Moments 1). In less than two months following the presidents address, the United States invades Iraq based on the belief that Saddam Hussein, the Iraqi dictator, was a danger to the United States (Memorable State of the Union Moments 1). While President Bush indicates Britain found evidence of Iraq purchasing uranium in Niger, he does not ention several U. S. agencies question the accuracy of the report by Britain (S. , Brian 1). Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) director George Tenet raises concerns against the findings of British intelligence suggesting their claim should never have been included in the State of the Union address (S. , Brian 1). In a memo to the CIA, the State Departments Bureau of Intelligence and Research (INR) also expresses alarm of the legitimacy of the British findings concerning Iraq buying uranium from Niger (Leopold 1). These doubts causes former Secretary of State Colin Powell to not ention the British findings when he goes in front of the United Nations (UN) to gain support to invade Iraq (Leopold 1). While doubt surfaces about the validity of Britains claims, after the Presidents speech, Valerie Plames husband Joseph Wilson releases his findings in the The New York Times article What I Didnt Find in Africa. In response to Britains findings of Iraq purchasing uranium from Niger, the CIA sends Joseph Wilson to Africa in 2002 to investigate possible Iraqi purchases of uranium . In his report to the CIA, Wilson reports the purchased of uranium by Iraq nlikely. However, the president still calls for action against Iraq, and the US invades. After the invasion of Iraq, Valerie Plames husband, Joseph Wilson, reports Iraq obtaining uranium from Niger is false in his article What I Didnt Find in Africa (1). He publicly criticizes President Bushs decision to invade Iraq. Wilson further states information was intentionally twisted by the Bush administration in order to gain support needed to invade Iraq (1). Eight days after Wilsons article is published, covert CIA operative. Valerie Plame is revealed as a covert CIA operative according o The Washington Post. In this article, Novak reports Plames identity was revealed to him by two top White House officials. In addition to Novak, it is discovered six other Journalists know of Plames identity including New York Times reporter Judith Miller. A two year investigation is launched in accordance to section 421 of the 1982 Intelligence Identities Protection Act, stating that it is illegal to intentionally disclose any information identifying a covert officer to any individual not authorized to receive classified information (Ballard and Dumouchelle 1). After eighty-five days in jail for refusing to reveal her sources, Judith Miller testifies before a grand Jury that l. Lewis Scooter Libby, Chief of Staff, Office of the Vice President and Karl Rove, Deputy Chief of Staff, Office of the President, were the two white officials that leaked Valerie Plames name to Post reporter, Novak (Ballard and Dumouchelle 3). In conclusion, because of the 16 words in former President Bushs State of the Union address, Joseph Wilsons article in The New York Times, and Robert Novaks article in The Washington Post, pushed the government to take drastic measures and reveal a covert operatives name in order to keep and gain additional support for the United States entering a war with Iraq. White house officials did leak CIA operative, Valerie Plame-Wilsons real identity into the media, in 2003 in order to discredit her husbands findings of Iraq buying uranium from Niger as false. While newspapers help inform the public about events and present information, they also serve as a medium of vital importance in obtaining the truth about events in our country and world around us.