One can try to repeatedly obscure the facts of this case but the outcome of the trial speaks for itself. Libby lied under oath and he was convicted by a jury of his peers. Since Libby has been determined to be guilty of these charges there is no travesty of justice. The charges had merit. Unfortunately, we are not going to see the same thing happen to other, high level Republicans (i.e. our current, esteemed Vice President Cheney).

Libby may indeed have been hard working but the real question is hard working at what? Carrying out Cheney's desire to discredit critics of Iraq war policy by revealing confidential information? If Libby got caught trying to protect persons unknown by lying under oath he deserves the conviction.

The fact of the matter is that a crime was indeed commited. A covert agent's name was pubically revealed against federal law. I, too, am disappointed that the investigation and prosecution of indiviuals stops at Libby. The real source of the leak was never pinpointed and prosecuted. Libby happened to get crushed through his own stupidity or loyalty, however you choose to look at it.

Ross, I am always in favor of reviewing facts. But let's not twist the facts to support your position on this issue. You are indignant and upset that a Republican political operative has been convicted of perjury and obstruction of justice. He lied under oath. That is the issue here which you choose to ignore. Did he not lie? A jury of his peers seems to think so. I think the jury conducted a thorough review of the facts and came to a well thought out conclusion. Consequently, Mr. Libby was convicted according to the federal law. Was the trial baseless? I do not think the case would have gone forward if that had been the case. So we are dealing with facts here not fiction.

Here is a quote from Special Counsel Fitzgerald made in an October, 2005 press conference: "Valerie Wilson was a CIA officer. In July 2003, the fact that Valerie Wilson was a CIA officer was classified. Not only was it classified, but it was not widely known outside the intelligence community. Valerie Wilson's friends, neighbors, college classmates had no idea she had another life. The fact that she was a CIA officer was not well-known, for her protection or for the benefit of all us. It's important that a CIA officer's identity be protected, that it be protected not just for the officer, but for the nation's security. Valerie Wilson's cover was blown in July 2003. The first sign of that cover being blown was when Mr. Novak published a column on July 14th, 2003." Fitzgerald's mission was to determine if the disclosure of Ms. Plame's identity and function at the CIA was a violation of the 1982 Intelligence Identities Protection Act. That was the reason for initiating special prosecutor Fitzgerald's investigation in the first place.

You are right, the real source of the leak was found to be Richard Armitage at the State department. As I mentioned in my comment previously, I was also disappointed that the number of prosecutions in this affair has ceased. Mr. Armitage certainly should have been tried in my view as well.

Mr. Libby was prosecuted and convicted because he lied to federal investigator's in the conduct of special prosecutor Fitzgerald's investigation. He lied under oath. What is so hard to understand about that? Is that a travesty of justice? Not in my view. There is a lesson to be learned here...to knowingly lie while under oath is a very dangerous thing to do. Mr. Libby is now well aware of that. Telling the truth under oath is required of upper level politicos as well as it is for us lesser beings.

So, a travesty? No, it is the legal system working as it was intended.