Selectively punishing politically damaging leaks  —  The CIA's firing of the official who allegedly leaked the existence of Eastern European black prisons to Dana Priest of The Washington Post has prompted an orgy of celebration among Bush followers, who apparently believe that the dreams they harbor …

The Leaker  —  We are learning more about Mary O"Neil McCarthy, the CIA officer who was fired for leaking classified information to the Washington Post.  Ms. McCarthy was at least one of the sources for the Post series on secret CIA prisons in eastern Europe, which won a Pulitzer Prize last week.

The Firing of Mary McCarthy  —  The case against the CIA Intelligence Officer, Mary McCarthy, fired for her alleged role in leaking information about secret prisons to the Washington Post's Dana Priest smells a little fishy.  Let me state at the outset that the officer in question, Mary McCarthy, is an old acquaintance.

Mary O. McCarthy - The Plot Thickens  —  The NY Times rolls out Mary O. McCarthy's supportive colleagues today to speak on her behalf, most notably Rand Beers.  But they don't exactly tell you everything about Beers.  —  If one looks into the back story a bit, what begins to emerge …

Sacked CIA Officer - Hey, Big Donor...  The NY Times seems to think the political contributions of the sacked CIA officer are significant, but their investigative skills are apparently a bit rusty, since they are about $7,500 light in their reporting.  From David Johnston and Scott Shane we get this:

Iraqi Lawmakers End Months of Deadlock  —  BAGHDAD, Iraq - Iraq's president formally designated Shiite politician Jawad al-Maliki to form a new government Saturday, starting a process aimed at healing ethnic and religious wounds and pulling the nation out of insurgency and sectarian strife.