Bush 'should fire' Karl Rove

2005-11-01 09:08

Washington - Joseph Wilson, the former United States diplomat in the eye of the CIA-leak storm, on Monday demanded the scalp of White House political maestro Karl Rove, over a scandal which has already toppled one key official.

Wilson's swipe at Bush closest political advisor came as the row defied the Bush administration's efforts to reset the agenda, three days after trusted powerbroker I Lewis "Scooter" Libby resigned after being charged with lying to investigators.

The White House faced a barrage of questions over the episode, and vice-president Dick Cheney reshuffled his pack of advisors, as Libby's first day in court was set for Thursday.

Wilson, a fierce critic of the Iraq war, said Rove should pay for his alleged role in the drama which saw the identity of his wife, CIA spy Valerie Plame, leaked to the media.

'This is a firing offence'

"I believe that as Americans we should all be appalled by this sort of behaviour from the senior reaches of this administration," said Wilson during an appearance at Washington's National Press Club.

"I don't believe that Mr Rove should be permitted to resign. I believe this is a firing offence," he said.

"To be so cavalier in the handling in the secrets of this great nation really is an abuse of the public trust."

In a later appearance on CNN, Wilson was even more blunt : "I think that Karl Rove should be fired," he said.

Rove escaped indictment by prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald but was told he was still under investigation.

Libby on Friday was charged with one count of obstruction of justice, two of perjury and two of making false statements, but remains under investigation.

The affair sparked a political firestorm and added to a host of problems faced by Bush, including bloodshed in Iraq, the fallout from Hurricane Katrina, and rising gasoline prices.

The White House however attempted to move on from one of the most demoralising weeks of Bush's presidency, naming conservative appeals court judge Samuel Alito to the Supreme Court.

Libby will make his first appearance in court, to be arraigned before Judge Reggie Walton on Thursday morning, a justice department official told AFP.

He has denied all wrongdoing and said he is confident he will be cleared.

Wilson also took aim at Republican Party opponents who have claimed his role in the affair was movivated by political bias.

"I understand that a lot of Republicans are mad at me. I can assure you that I'm pretty pissed off at a lot of Republicans as well."

- AFP