Boot walks all over Joe Wilson’s story

Max Boot (Opinion, Nov. 2) takes the prize for spinning the Valerie Plame leak into the proverbial glass is half full.

If I. Lewis “Scooter” Libby and other White House officials were “merely setting the record straight,” why did Libby request anonymity in conversations with New York Times reporter Judith Miller? “Petty-ante perjury”?

I agree it’s not comparable to the Monica Lewinsky inquiry, but isn’t that the point? This one led to war.

MANLEY WITTEN

Los Angeles

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The Times finally prints in Opinion critical background detail on Joseph C. Wilson IV and Plame. Better late than never.

Plame was not undercover, and she was instrumental in sending her husband on a mission to Niger. Wilson lied about his wife’s involvement and much more. The Senate Select Intelligence Committee report covered that and all but dismissed Wilson’s Niger findings. Wilson is a partisan with an agenda and a published, proven record as a liar.

JIM EARLEY

Laguna Niguel

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A simple question for Boot and all the other Wilson bashers: If outing Plame was no big deal, why was Libby indicted for lying about doing it?

NEIL FLETCHER

Santa Monica

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Max, please come to the teacher’s desk. Your essay reads verbatim like Karl’s and Scooter’s. Given the seriousness of this assignment, I want you to rewrite your essay and return it when you have at least one original thought.

JEFF KAHL

Aliso Viejo