Reply #27: Not hard to connect the dots. Wilson's 2002 Niger trip wasn't secret [View All]

[Garbo 2004]

from the Administration. Wilson met with the US Ambassador to Niger (who'd been telling DC the Niger claims were bunk). Briefed the State Dept African Affairs section when he got back, according to his own account. The proposal that he even go to Niger was discussed at a 2002 meeting at the CIA with reps of different agencies (remember the State Dept memo Fitz was so interested in included notes from State Dept rep at that meeting who mistakenly claimed that Wilson's wife sent him as I recall).

Notably, after the Niger claim was mentioned in the State of the Union, Wilson himself had been trying to get word to the Administration that their info was wrong so they could retract it. Indirectly to Condi, for example according to Wilson, who in effect blew him off. So in Spring 2003 when the Niger claim is bunk story is coming out in the press all they didn't have far to look for the source. Wilson was told the WH crew had met in March to do a "work up" on him. So by May when Kristof writes an article citing a former US Ambassador who went to Niger, the Administration had known for months that Wilson was the source debunking their Niger claims.