From: "George J. Sherwood" 

Robert G Lewis wrote:

> The questions in my mind is what are the procedures for the president to
> declassify information ? What laws are in place to protect the identify of
> covert agents ? Was the CIA ever notified that her identify was
> declassified or was it just leaked leaving her ( and others) exposed ?

The procedure for the President are to just make the decision.  Pretty much
only answerable to the voters.  Everything that I have read about this so
far doesn't saying anything about authorization to release her name.  That
seems to be missing here, big headlines about the President authorizing
release of classified info, but I haven't seen that release included
anything but info from the NIE.  I think people are making a big jump to
reach this conclusion that he authorized the release of Plame's name. Maybe
I have missed that part, but it isn't what Libby has said. What has been
said is that the President authorized the release.

>
> it's one thing for the President to authorize the release of information
> on an enemy state , its another to leak information that puts our intel
> assets at risk. I don't how outing her identify did anything to correct
> any perceived falsehoods that Wilson may have been putting out. Fight
> falsehoods with truth not outing someone's spouse.

Again, I believe this is a conclusion being reached not supported by the
evidence yet.

George

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