How do you guys debunk this right wing talking point on Plame?

[nickshepDEM]

I hear a lot of Republicans who try to cover up her being outed by saying she was not 'undercover' or 'covert' at the time of the outing. Therefore no one broke the Intelligence Identities Protection Act.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intelligence_Identities_Protection_Act

[lisa58]

1. The CIA would not have asked...

for an investigation unless she was "outed". Also, just because she was not "covert" at the time does not mean when her identity was revealed it did not compromise other covert agents.

[Disturbed]

4. Valarie Plame's covert operation was revealed.

That is the crime.

[lisa58]

9. Good point! n/t

[LuckyTheDog]

15. That is right

Whether justified or not, Plame's identity was, indeed, a secret. And it was not for political appointees to second-gues the CIA about that. And BTW, it was justified.

[Ksec]

23. The CIA said she was covert. Thats enough proof for me.

[LuckyTheDog]

27. Yeppers

And it should been enough for Karl and Scooter -- that is, had they not been traitors at heart.

[LynnTheDem]

29. She WAS covert at the time.

Fact. :)

[Dr Fate]

Bring up the fact that by outing her, other agents are compromised as well

You may also want to mention that these are just media predections as to what exact charges Fitz is bringing, and to what statutes he is using, and what facts he is using.

Intelligence Identities Protection Act is but one act- there are many Espinage laws that were psooibly broken...

[nickshepDEM]

10. Does anyone know if 'Fitz' is a Dem. or Rep?

They're using the fact that Earle is a Dem to discredit his case against Delay. They'll probably call this a 'witch hunt' too.

[lisa58]

13. He's a Republican

[wishlist]

21. I read that he is not registered as either Dem or Republican

I read that he was registered as Independent at one time until he found out that in the area where he registered, being Independent was a party affiliation so he is no longer registered that way. Supposedly he is not registered under any party affiliation.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

17. Also, the human assets (locals) she and the other agents interacted with.

[Bozita]

25. How about non-asset locals who merely interacted with her?

Waiters, cabbies, maids, etc.

I wouldn't like to have been a waiter in her favorite restaurant in Damascus or Karachi or ...

[malaise]

2. Simple remind them that this is

about treason - lying about WMDs and leading the country into an illegal war. Read Justin's latest article.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x2145445

edit -add link.

[NMDemDist2]

3. she was the bravest and most covert of agents, traveling and building

her cover company (with the CIA's help) with no diplomatic or Agency cover under her own passport

she was DEEP cover, an independant actor putting her life on the line without the Agency's protection

she was a real deal spy.

do a bit more research on her company, you'll see!

http://www.apfn.org/LEAK-GATE/CIA_firm.htm

[tabasco]

20. That is a fact. Stupid freepers confuse "no cover" ...

with not covert. They are simply a bunch of dumb fucks. "No cover" means highly covert and more risk for the agents.

Of course, republicans who know better will fertilize and propagate the freeper confusion, knowing their idiot supporters for the stupid asses they are.

[Botany]

5. E.Z.

* The CIA were the ones who brought the charges.
* They know who is an agent and deserves cover
* Plame was working to protect all Americans from real WMDs
* Brewster Jennings (her front company) cost millions of $s
to build .... it is now gone.
* It was an act of treason against all of us.

[savemefromdumbya]

6. Republicans obviously condone breaching our national security!

The GOP will spin anything and they haven't a leg to stand on.

[karlrschneider]

7. Did you omit a "not" before 'undercover'?

Or am I misunderstanding it...?

[nickshepDEM]

14. Whooops. Fixed.

:)

[Postman]

8. Then why did they name her?

Why perform such an act if weren't meant to be harmful?

Why would they want to be harmful to the Wilson's? If you believe the rightwing, Joe Wilson just a liar and a partisan. Why would you need to attack someone that was not a threat if everything they say is true?

It was retribution for exposing their Niger-Iraq lie.

You only attack threats to the truth and Joe Wilson was a threat to the truth.

[Nye Bevan]

11. A great site for debunking repuke Plame talking points...

http://www.theleftcoaster.com/archives/004870.php

[DelawareValleyDem]

12. If the outing were not criminal

the investigation would have been wrapped up long ago. Also, there would have been no need to jail Miller. Her testimony would not be needed to ascertain Plame's covert status.

[wishlist]

16. State Dept memo on Air Force One indicated she had top secret status

The State Dept memo that White House officials reviewed on Air Force One (before her identity being leaked) clearly indicated that the information about her status as a CIA agent was classified secret info that was not to be shared.

Many news sources have reported this fact which the RWingers choose to conveniently ignore. Here is link to CNN story. All the other major media outlets had similar articles.

"WASHINGTON (CNN) -- A classified State Department memorandum that has been the subject of questioning in a federal leak probe identifies a CIA agent by name in a paragraph marked "S" for secret, sources told CNN Thursday."

http://www.cnn.com/2005/POLITICS/07/21/cia.leak/

[mzmolly]

18. The CIA disagrees with them.

They are in a position to actually know.

[parasim]

19. Assuming no one she ever worked with is still uncover.

It's not the just the outing of Plame, it's all of her contacts, etc., many of whom are likely still covert.

On edit: Of course, I have no idea if that does or does not violate the Intelligent Identities Protection Act.

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

22. She had a very deep cover. She was an NOC. That meant that she

was willing to die for her country if it was discovered that she was a spy. NOCs do not carry diplomatic passports in case they get caught, and many countries will execute spies.

[Octafish]

24. She was a NOC.

Non-Official Cover. If her operations get exposed, Uncle Sam never heard of her.

Here's a nice backgrounder, from Larry Johnson, ex-CIA:

http://www.counterpunch.org/johnson10072005.html

[Disturbed]

26. I truely believe that there are many RWingers who...

pu their party above America. They are the actual anti-American traitors.

[LynnTheDem]

28. Debunk it with FACT;

YES, in fact, she WAS covert at the time she was outed.

[AlphaCat]

30. What does the law say?

I think we need to concentrate on the criteria against which their behavior is measured. I'd like to see a clear list of their actual behavior, and a list of exactly what the legal standard for behavior is, in this regard--and THEN a comparison. It is only in this way that I think we can walk into a court of law (or the media can publish a credible account) and truly 'take it to the people'.

We need to get the public behind this--LEGAL things they can understand.