Yes Barry, their real crime is stupidity and venality.

Carol, you are correct in saying the Intelligence Identities Protection Act is not relevant in their suit. However, it is the main ammunition that has been used by the Democrats in the court of public opinion.

No one has been indicted on charges of outing her as a CIA agent in violation of the Act. Libby was indicted for perjury and obstruction of justice--in other words, for falling on his sword to protect Cheney and Rove. That is what anyone at that level is expected to do to protect the boss. Politics 101.

I am deeply concerned that nothing is being done by Congress to hold the Bush administration accountable for their many breaches of our national security, the number one breach being stripping US citizens of their civil rights in the Patriot Act, and number two, taking us to war.

But at this point, I'm far more upset with the US Congress' abrogation of their constitutional duties of oversight and investigation, than I am the Bush administration. Any repressive, authoritarian administration like this (and there are many parallels, IMO, between this Bush administration and the Nixon and Johnson administrations) is going to go petal to the metal and get their agenda as far as they can as fast as they can, and only pull back when checked by the other two branches of government.

The Bush administration is, however, only being checked by the judicial branch. It is as if the Congress doesn't even exist at this point.

Now, I know my opinion is in a fairly extreme minority, because I fault Democrats as much as Republicans for the fine fiddle we are in. But I think history will show that Bush has gotten away with what he has gotten away with not because he is all powerful, but because the Congress abrogated their constitutional duties of oversight and investigation--with the corporate media playing the tunes.

But with Israel bombing the fuck out of the Middle East, and Bush saying that is JUST FINE with him, I think there are far more important things to concern ourselves with than a pretty, publicity hungry Washington power couple being slapped down by Karl Rove.

Just my opinion, of course.