It's another conspiracy. The liberal media is at the heart of it, setting up Cheney, et al. to "out" Plame to a conservative columnist, and then pouncing on it like a cat on a mouse. And they had to lie, in the interests of national security.

The conspiracy was helped enormously by rogue elements in the Department of Justice. Thank God Gonzalez has fired 7 more of them before they could do too much damage, but this one was too well set up. They're bastards, but clever bastards, and the Forces of Good sometime suffer from having to endure persecution. It makes us all better people. A price of virtue, if you will.

Cheney, et al. had no choice but to do what they did in an effort to protect the American people. Very much like Ollie North, who was sacrificed on the same altar. And Libby is the stand-in, having been chosen to personify all that is Good within the Bush Administration, an administration which will stop at nothing in it's fight against terrorism.

Did he lie? Well, it depends. Yes, no and maybe. He claims his memory is faulty. His friends claim his memory is faulty. He claims he can't keep track of dates, people with whom he talked, and the topics of conversations. If there were any Justice, instead of being prosecuted and persecuted, he should locked up in an Alzheimer's facility. They're expensive, but that's OK.

Libby will come out of this a rich man. The Libby Defense Fund is private, with no accountability necessary. No one knows the amount, or the donors. CBS estimates the collections at over $3 million against costs of $5 million, not counting the pardon or knowing the true donations or donors. That would be the tip of the donation iceberg, only what can be seen.

If he's convicted he will appeal until he is pardoned, and his "Defense Fund" is ALL his, to do with as he pleases. You'll notice his defense was very brief, as if they didn't care.

So, the liberal - media - rogue prosecutor conspiracy backfired. Good is Triumphant.

Libby is remorseful, however. Before leaving government service he was noticed many times interrupting George W. Bush at meetings. "Ahem, un, PARDON ME, sir." Over and over. One can tell his heart is broken.

This world is full of plots and conspiracies. While the Bush Administration is busy protecting our shores, the liberals have nothing else to do but scheme, plan and sneak around. It's always been that way in the fight against Evil.

Arf