My comments on the Plame Affair.

This post comes in great part from a response on the BlueGal's blog. I have been ignoring the whole Karl Rove/Valerie Plame issue because I am actually quite torn by this in a variety of ways. My first natural instinct as a former Intel worker is to say "Hell YES! FIRE HIM!", hell, "Arrest Him!" Anyone who knowingly and deliberately blows the cover of an undercover CIA operative should be punished in an appropriate manner. (Technical note: Plame was not an "agent" she was an "operative". An "agent" is someone that an "operative" has gotten to give them information. A local national who is working for the CIA. An "operative" is a US national working for the CIA.) My problem with hanging Rove out to dry is that I can no longer in good conscience look at someone who has many years of good loyal service and say "Hang him" for one screw up. After all, that is what the Army did to me. Big Army was fully justified in what they did to me in the legal sense. But I really don't think it was a fully appropriate response. But I am biased. If Plame had been outed then arrested by the government of Niger and executed, sure, take Rove hang him, and literally throw him to the dogs. But for what happened? I don't know. I think he should be asked to resign. If I were in his place I would have by now anyway. But once he is gone that should be the end of it. Am I wrong? Am I letting my personal feelings get in the way of doing what is right? Probably. But hey, it's what I feel. Tell me why I am wrong.