The idea that you could spend a week in Africa and conclude with certainty that nothing illegal was being done behind the scenes is ludicrous to start with.

Drinking mint tea with officials who have every reason not to be frank about what they might actually be doing is not exactly a solid investigative technique. It's based on Wilson's somewhat egotistical opinion that nobody could possibly have pulled a fast one on HIM.

"Of course we have never had anything to do with Iraq. Why would we lie?"

The Niger documents that were controversial were found to be fraudulent. That's a real piece of evidence. Wilson going to Africa and saying "I didn't see any illegal activity while I was there" isn't.