# I pit the woman who said: "Why do you have a Machine Gun? This isn't Israel!" **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [December 23, 2003, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-woman-who-said-why-do-you-have-a-machine-gun-this-isnt-israel/220636 "2003-12-23T13:56:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![js\_africanus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/87869e/32.png) [@js\_africanus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/js_africanus)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2003, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-woman-who-said-why-do-you-have-a-machine-gun-this-isnt-israel/220636/81 "2003-12-25T02:16:15Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Jackmannii \* > \*\*And you will find the Not Paying Attention Clinic down the corridor and out the window. \*\* Good looking out. I’m in here with the Searched The Page For Cult And Found The Only Person Talking About It Is The Person Complaining About It crowd. We’ve pulled back the folding wall and are mixing it up with the If You Don’t Acknowledge Who You Are Speaking To Then Don’t Bother With Your Left-Field Remarks That You Think Are Clever But Really Aren’t group. Fun crowd. Across the hall is the The Guy Who Extracted Fascism From The Italian Subconscious And Gave It A Name Has No Say In How It Is Defined room. Haven’t mingled with them much. You may fit in there. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2003, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-woman-who-said-why-do-you-have-a-machine-gun-this-isnt-israel/220636/82 "2003-12-25T03:30:40Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Bryan Ekers \* > \*\*Dare I ask what whistle-blower’s spouse was targetted for assassination, or is that just smoke-blowing? \*\* [url=http://abcnews.go.com/sections/nightline/US/CIAleak031001.htmlEmbassador Joe Wilson. > [@](#): > > On July 6, Wilson wrote an op-ed piece in The New York Times saying that the Bush administration had manipulated intelligence about Iraq’s weapons programs. He cited specifically a line from President Bush’s State of the Union speech about Iraq seeking uranium from Africa — information the White House later admitted was inaccurate. > > Wilson had traveled to Niger in 2002 to investigate allegations of uranium sales to Iraq, and concluded the allegations were not credible. > > On July 14, citing two senior administration officials, syndicated columnist Robert Novak revealed that Wilson’s wife worked for the CIA and said that she had suggested sending him to Niger. > > Wilson denies his wife had anything to do with his trip to Niger. “The CIA had spoken to me on any number of occasions on African-related issues. This was not unusual,” he said. > > \ > > Wilson maintains that Washington reporters told him they spoke with Rove on the telephone after the Novak column came out. > > “What I have confidence in — based upon what respectable press people in this town have told me — is that a week after the Novak article came out, Karl Rove was still calling around and talking to press people, saying Wilson’s wife is fair game,” Wilson said. > > "The gist of the message, as it was reported back to me right after the phone call, was ‘I just got off the phone with Karl Rove. He tells me your wife is fair game.’ " Exposing the name of an undercover CIA operative is a felony and jeopardizes the lives not only of that agent but the lives of anyne that agent has cultivated as contacts. This was an extremely vicious thing for the White House to do and it was done purely to get revenge on a guy who busted Shrub for lying about uranium in his State of the Union address. ---
**Author:** ![45\_70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/4/5f9b8f/32.png) [@45\_70](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/45_70)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2003, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-woman-who-said-why-do-you-have-a-machine-gun-this-isnt-israel/220636/83 "2003-12-25T04:00:15Z")
The only person divulging her identity is Robert Novak. He passed it off as administration officials. His precious source protecting is total bullshit in this case. As far as I’m concerned Novak released her name as his name is on the article. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2003, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-woman-who-said-why-do-you-have-a-machine-gun-this-isnt-israel/220636/84 "2003-12-25T04:24:13Z")
Well, your link needs to be [fixed](http://abcnews.go.com/sections/nightline/US/CIAleak031001.html) but nothing in your extracts, or even the entire article, suggests Wilson’s wife was the target of assassins. “Fair game” could as easily mean she could be the subject of a detailed investiagtion and/or criminal charges. Even the author of the article doesn’t dare claim a hit was ordered, no doubt because he and ABC News would be subject to charges of libel. You, however, with your anonymous posting, can feel safer. But then, I’ve never doubted your ability to jump to the worst, most inflammatory, most panic-stricken conclusion when it lines up with your personal politics. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2003, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-woman-who-said-why-do-you-have-a-machine-gun-this-isnt-israel/220636/85 "2003-12-25T04:42:10Z")
Whoever gave that info to Novak committed a felony. I’m not the first one to characterize this leak as a virtual “hit” on Valerie Plame. Here’s what former Nixon White House Lawyer John Dean had to say: > [@](#): > > Bits and pieces of information have emerged, but the story is far from complete. Nonetheless, what has surfaced is repulsive. If I thought I had seen dirty political tricks as nasty and vile as they could get at the Nixon White House, I was wrong. The American Prospect’s observation that “we are very much into Nixon territory here” with this story is an understatement. > > Indeed, this is arguably worse. **Nixon never set up a hit on one of his enemies’ wives.** ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2003, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-woman-who-said-why-do-you-have-a-machine-gun-this-isnt-israel/220636/86 "2003-12-25T04:55:10Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Diogenes the Cynic \* > \*\*Whoever gave that info to Novak committed a felony. > > I’m not the first one to characterize this leak as a virtual “hit” on Valerie Plame. Here’s what former Nixon White House Lawyer John Dean had to say: \*\* This isn’t your day for working links, is it? [Fixed](http://writ.news.findlaw.com/dean/20030815.html). Anyway, I don’t know if John Dean is exactly an unimpeachable witness, pun intended. In any case, the threat to Valerie Wilson is only potential, and saying the Bush administration is “putting out hits” is preposterous. I sense recklessness and stupidity from the unnamed senior officials, but not a murder plot. ---
**Author:** ![SeekingTruth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/34f0e0/32.png) [@SeekingTruth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeekingTruth)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2003, 8:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-woman-who-said-why-do-you-have-a-machine-gun-this-isnt-israel/220636/87 "2003-12-25T08:56:50Z")
Wilson gave her name in his autobiography! And she wasn’t an operative, she worked as an office assistant in Langley, VA. But, rant on. Tell us how the election was stolen again. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2003, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-woman-who-said-why-do-you-have-a-machine-gun-this-isnt-israel/220636/88 "2003-12-25T16:53:24Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by SeekingTruth \* > \*\*Wilson gave her name in his autobiography! And she wasn’t an operative, she worked as an office assistant in Langley, VA. But, rant on. Tell us how the election was stolen again. \*\* she was an undercover operative, you stupid fuck, can you read at all? Novak says he was _told_ that she wasn’t operative but what he was told _wasn’t true_. From [Newsday](http://www.commondreams.org/headlines03/0722-04.htm) > [@](#): > > A senior intelligence official confirmed that Plame was a **Directorate of Operations undercover officer** who worked “alongside” the operations officers who asked her husband to travel to Niger. The FBI is currently investigating the White House for the leak. And it wasn’t a secret that Wilson was was _married_ to her, it was a secret that she was _undercover_ for the CIA. Do you ever post anything that doesn’t come directly out of your ass? ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2003, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-woman-who-said-why-do-you-have-a-machine-gun-this-isnt-israel/220636/89 "2003-12-25T17:48:21Z")
(Well, since the thread has run off the road and into the verge anyway…) When I got here over seven years ago, I was impressed by the HK-wielding policemen in front of every single bank. One day, I foolishly asked one what sort of weapon it was. He smiled and gave me the thing. In a fit of childishness, I thne had him give me his extra magazine. Of course nowaday we take security much more seriously, but I often lok back on the Good Old Days. ---
**Author:** ![Bouncer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9d8465/32.png) [@Bouncer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bouncer)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2003, 4:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-woman-who-said-why-do-you-have-a-machine-gun-this-isnt-israel/220636/90 "2003-12-26T04:59:57Z")
Coldfire, Like a bunch of others I must respectfully disagree with your statement about armed soldiers in airports. Prior to Sept 10th 2001 I distinctly remember seeing them in Skopje Macedonia, Vienna Austria, London Gatwick, Frankfurt Germany, Madrid Spain and Rome (Fiumencino) Italy. In London and Frankfurt it was MP5s, In Skopje it was AK-74’s and in Rome and Spain I believe it was Berrettas (can’t be sure of Spain but am fairly positive about Rome). The reason I recall it that well is simply that it surprised me that there were constantly such an armed presence in europe compared to the US. Skopje was really impressive as the soldiers there were wearing ceramic body armor and field helmets and the Terminal still had some bullet holes in the wall and the attitude was more serious than in the other airports. Your experience doesn’t seem to be the norm in this regard. Kind Regards and Merry Christmas! -Bouncer- ---
**Author:** ![Mojo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85f322/32.png) [@Mojo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mojo)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2003, 6:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-woman-who-said-why-do-you-have-a-machine-gun-this-isnt-israel/220636/91 "2003-12-26T06:22:57Z")
Didn’t you guys hear that Valerie Plame was [shot](http://slate.msn.com/id/2091907/)? Good thing she was wearing that scarf and glasses, or the shot could’ve really done some damage. Her fear is palpable.:rolleyes: [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-woman-who-said-why-do-you-have-a-machine-gun-this-isnt-israel/220636.md?page=4)