Former Ambassador Joseph Wilson, whose trip to Niger nearly four years ago triggered a series of events that led to the indictment of a senior White House official, will speak tonight on "The Politics of Truth" at 8 p.m. in Salomon 101.
Although Wilson's foreign service career included senior ap-pointments by presidents from both parties, he is most famous for his 2002 trip to Niger under a Bush administration directive and the subsequent revelation that his wife, Valerie Plame, was a covert operative for the CIA.
Wilson wrote a New York Times op-ed in response to President Bush's claim in his 2003 State of the Union Address that Saddam Hussein had sought to buy materials for weapons of mass destruction from Niger. Wilson's column - "What I Didn't Find in Africa" - explained that his investigation found no evidence to support Bush's claim and alleged that the administration had manipulated information to justify a war in Iraq. Eight days later, conservative columnist Robert Novak disclosed the name of Wilson's wife and her role as a clandestine CIA operative, attributing the leak to two unnamed White House officials.
An investigation into the leak headed by special prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald has led to the 85-day jailing of New York Times reporter Judith Miller and the recent indictment of Lewis "Scooter" Libby, the chief of staff to Vice President Dick Cheney who resigned after the charges were brought.
As the investigation has gained momentum, Wilson has kept a lower profile, delivering speeches but making few media appearances.
Wilson was invited to speak on campus by Brown Hillel. The Watson Institute for International Studies and the Brown Democrats are co-sponsoring the event.
Although organizers are uncertain exactly what direction Wilson's remarks will take, representatives from all three groups said his role in the ongoing leak controversy should make his speech of interest to the entire Brown community.
"With the recent scandals at the White House, he's a really timely speaker," said Brown Democrats President Michaela Labriole '07. She hopes it will be an event "the whole campus can enjoy, not necessarily just for Democrats."
The Dems have provided logistical support for the event, but Wilson's visit is primarily being funded by Hillel.
"Part of what we were trying to do was to bring someone who was of interest to the campus community - to the Jewish community and to the broader community," said Hillel Program Director Dara Wald.
Watson Institute Associate Director Geoffrey Kirkman said that Wilson's speech is equally relevant to the Institute's goals.
"Our mission is to deal with contemporary global problems, and certainly Ambassador Wilson seems to be at the center of one of the thorniest issues of the moment," Kirkman said.
Although Wilson's outspoken criticism of the Bush Administration has cast him as a liberal in the media spotlight, he is not a partisan figure, Kirkman said.
"In his career he served the United States, not one particular party," he said. "It just so happens that some problems have arisen with this administration."
Under President George H. W. Bush, Wilson served as acting U.S. ambassador to Iraq, was the last American to meet with Saddam Hussein before the first Gulf War and orchestrated the release of 150 American hostages taken by Iraqi forces.
Wilson was also senior director for African affairs at the National Security Council and ambassador to Gabon during the Clinton Administration.
Wilson will sign copies of his memoir "The Politics of Truth: Inside the Lies that Led to War and Betrayed My Wife's CIA Identity" following the speech. The event is free and open to the public, but bags, backpacks and large containers will not be allowed into the building.
