In other words (I am prepared to keep on repeating this until at least one cow comes home), Joseph Wilson went to Niger in 2002 to investigate whether or not the country had renewed its uranium-based relationship with Iraq, spent a few days (by his own account) sipping mint tea with officials of that country who were (by his wife's account) already friendly to him, and came back with the news that all was above-board. Again to repeat myself, this must mean either that A) he did not know that Zahawie had come calling or B) that he did know but didn't think it worth mentioning that one of Saddam's point men on nukes had been in town. In neither case, it seems to me, should he be trusted with another mission that requires any sort of curiosity.
I drew a little flak for the title of this post on the buffoon Wilson. I'm not really sure why since Wilson is on the face of it a clown of the first order.
Still, I see no reason to swap "clueless" for "buffoon." Nor am I ashamed of using the term. Indeed, each passing week makes me think I was too kind to the man. Good grief, due to the passing of Peter Sellers, Steve Martin will have to play Wilson in the movie about his life.
