Federal law prohibits the public unmasking of operatives for the Central Intelligence Agency.
The problem is this: Who violates the law? The unmasker or the information source--or both?
Robert Novak, a conservative newspaper columnist and curmudgeon pundit for Cable News Network's Crossfire program, outed a CIA operations officer/weapons proliferation analyst in a July 14 column.
Novak's unnamed sources allegedly are "senior officials" in the Dubya Administration.
Journalism shield laws allow Novak to protect the leakers. His lame excuse is that everyone in Washington D.C. knew the covert spy worked for the CIA.
"Energy consultant" Valarie Plame and her front company, Brewster-Jannings and Associates, are no longer effective instruments against international terrorism.
The U.S. Justice Dept. may never find the government leaks, but can prosecute Novak. And should. (12 OCTOBER 2003)
