Several readers have let me know that I have let Wilson off too easy. They make some good points. For future reference, all criticisms of Joe Wilson should be considered partial, not exhaustive. Anyway, here’s one:

You let Wilson off too easy.
Wilson wrote:
“Other inaccuracies and distortions include the suggestion that my findings “bolstered” the case that Niger was engaged in illegal sales of uranium to Iraq.”
Wilson is attempting to frame the issue in a completely misleading way that you overlooked and fell prey to.
I don’t know of anyone who thinks that Wilson’s findings bolstered the case the “Niger was engaged in the illegal sales of uranium to Iraq.” What Wilson’s findings did, in fact bolster (and not merely fail to debunk) was the case that “Iraq was seeking uranium from Niger.” Those are two completely different things. Whether Niger reciprocated has nothing to do with Iraq’s intentions. After all, there are sources other than Niger that Iraq could have turned to.