Krugman's Accusation

I'm surprised there isn't more in the press regarding an accusation (available to registered users) that Paul Krugman made in his NY Times column today. Krugman states:

And while we're on the subject of patriotism, let's talk about the affair of Joseph Wilson's wife. Mr. Wilson is the former ambassador who was sent to Niger by the C.I.A. to investigate reports of attempted Iraqi uranium purchases and who recently went public with his findings. Since then administration allies have sought to discredit him — it's unpleasant stuff. But here's the kicker: both the columnist Robert Novak and Time magazine say that administration officials told them that they believed that Mr. Wilson had been chosen through the influence of his wife, whom they identified as a C.I.A. operative.

Think about that: if their characterization of Mr. Wilson's wife is true (he refuses to confirm or deny it), Bush administration officials have exposed the identity of a covert operative. That happens to be a criminal act; it's also definitely unpatriotic.

So why would they do such a thing? Partly, perhaps, to punish Mr. Wilson, but also to send a message.

And that should alarm us. We've just seen how politicized, cooked intelligence can damage our national interest. Yet the Wilson affair suggests that the administration intends to continue pressuring analysts to tell it what it wants to hear.

I expected a bigger buzz on the Internet, but I only hear a 60 hertz B-flat hum from the fluorescent lights. Why is that? The matter is particularly germane now, with the chaos in Britain regarding Dr. Kelly's suicide.

And here's more interesting stuff regarding the timing of Hadley's confession that the CIA had indeed informed the White House about the shakiness of the uranium story from Niger.