As published in the

Pasadena Star-News - July 20, 2005

San Gabriel Valley Tribune - July 20, 2005

Whittier Daily News - July 20, 2005

Should Karl Rove go to jail? You decide.

by

Gerald Plessner

Before you decide whether Karl Rove should go to jail, lose his security clearance and be barred from the White House, or be given a medal, you need to understand the damage he may have done to our national security, our fight against terrorism and our intelligence gathering capabilities.

In September 2003, Rove confirmed to reporters that Valerie Plame Wilson was a Central Intelligence Agency operative. Employed as a "Non-Official Cover" or NOC, Plame worked undercover in monitoring nuclear weapons proliferation and, as it turns out, the Saudi oil industry.

Karl Rove is one of the top three officials in the White House. His responsibilities include coordination of national and homeland security issues. Although he is most prominent as the president's political advisor, he is reported to be deeply involved in all policy issues domestic and international. In such a position, he would of necessity be trained and sworn to keep and protect the nation's secrets.

Plame's position was disclosed when Rove decided to punish her husband, former ambassador Joseph C. Wilson, IV, for speaking out about the president's use of highly questionable data about Saddam Hussein's supposed pursuit of nuclear bomb-making materials in Africa.

A former ambassador to two countries in Africa, Wilson had been sent there to find out if the Iraqi regime had sought such materials.

After the president's State of the Union address, Wilson wrote about the administration's efforts to take us into war in Iraq, questioning the administration's honesty in promoting the war.

In an effort to discredit and punish Wilson, Rove answered reporters' questions about Plame, exchanging information with them. But rather than divert reporters from reporting Plame's undercover status, Rove confirmed the information the reporters already had, that she was an undercover agent of the CIA. Such disclosure might be considered a federal felony.

When Plame's name was later disclosed in a column by Republican columnist Robert Novak, the work and knowledge of a highly-placed agent with contacts worldwide was compromised. Although her life was not put in danger, her outing damaged her career and destroyed one our nation's most effective intelligence gathering operations, of which she was a part.

Plame ostensibly worked for Brewster-Jennings & Associates, an eleven year-old CIA front company that monitored a number of countries regarding the proliferation of weapons of mass destructions.

According to DailyKos.com, an excellent political issues website, these included Iraq, North Korea, Beralrus, Russia, South Africa, Iran, Israel, China, Pakistan, Congo, India, Taiwan, Libya, Syria, Serbia and Malaysia.

But of equal but seldom noted importance, Brewster-Jennings is reported to have monitored the Saudi Arabian oil industry and especially ARAMCO, the joint venture between the Saudi monarchy and four international oil companies.

According to the Guardian newspaper of England, ARAMCO produces 12% of the world's daily supply of oil. It manages all Saudi oil fields, controlling 25% of the world's known reserves.

All of that capability in monitoring ARAMCO, its partners, Saudi businessmen and bankers is now lost as a result of Rove's failure to protect national security.

By destroying Brewster-Jennings, Rove may have also put at risk the lives and careers of individuals whom Plame might have been in touch with, either knowing that she was an intelligence agent or not. Countries all over the world, friendly and otherwise, probably went wild trying to determine any damage contacts with Plame may have caused them.

Considering the Bush family's close ties with the Saudi monarchy and their associations with Saudi princes, bankers and businessmen, one might wonder what Karl Rove's motives in destroying the career of Valerie Plame might really have been.

Knowing Rove is in trouble, the White House has started a typical Rove-style political attack and Republican politicians have been given their marching orders. With a growing demand for Rove's resignation, Republicans have sought to discredit Democratic critics and further smear Wilson and Plame.

"The angry left is trying to smear" Rove, Republican National Committee chairman Ken Mehlman, said.

"Republicans should stop holding back and go on the offense: fire enough bullets the other way until the Supreme Court overtakes" events, said Rep. Peter T. King(R-N.Y.)

"In all honesty, the fact thus far --- and the e-mail involved --- indicate to me that there is not a problem here," said Senator Orrin G. Hatch(R-Utah). "I have always thought this is a tempest in a teapot."

But what do you think should happen to Karl Rove? Should the president do what he promised, firing anyone who leaked information about Valery Plame? Or should Karl Rove continue to serve at the very top of the United States government and have access to the nation's secrets?

About the author: Gerald Plessner is a Southern California businessman who writes regularly on issues of politics and culture. He would be pleased to hear from you and may be contacted at gerald@geraldplessner.com.