The cover up worked

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To be fair, it is likely that no one broke the law when they outed Ms. Plame. Largely that is due to the fact that no one thought such a law was needed. No one figured that someone would out a CIA agent would be outed for a political vendetta instead of for the purposes of spying. So because what Rove and company did was so dispicable, it isn't a crime. So why should Libby be in jail for a few years? Because the cover up worked.

Had Libby not lied, it is likely we would have found out about Rove and his dispicable behavior well before Bush was reelected. In a close election it might have made a difference. And the administration just could have that. So Libby lied. Listen to the tapes. Even the most clueless observer can tell the man is lying.

He didn't lie for fear of jail. He lied because he knew the truth would cost him his job, and might cost Cheney his. And his lies worked. By lying to the grand jury he kept the truth from getting out before the election. By keeping the truth from coming out, he helped Bush keep his job.

Libby did the crime, he needs to do the time. He stole more than the truth. He stole our ability to hold his bosses accountable for their borderline treasonous behavior. Instead of a moment of accountability, we got a moment of stealing. Libby is responsible for that. He deserves to go to jail for that behavior.