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Joseph C. Wilson

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Diplomat

The Resume

    (November 6, 1949-September 27, 2019)
    Born in Bridgeport, Connecticut
    US Ambassador to Gabon and Sao Tome and Principe (1992-95)
    Special Assistant to President Bill Clinton (1997-98)
    Sent to investigate whether Saddam Hussein had purchased yellow cake uranium from Niger (2002)
    Concluded it was 'highly doubtful' such a transaction occurred
    After George W. Bush included the allegations in his 2003 State of the Union address anyway, wrote the New York Times op-ed piece 'What I Didn't Find in Africa'
    Married to Valerie Plame
    Wrote 'The Politics of Truth: Inside the Lies That Led to War and Betrayed My Wife's CIA Identity' (2004)

Why he might be annoying:

    He said that in college he majored in 'history, volleyball, and surfing.'
    He was divorced twice before marrying Plame.
    Former Secretary of Defense Caspar Weinberger dismissed his Niger trip as 'a sloppy tea-drinking 'investigation' from a retired ambassador with a less than stellar record.'

Why he might not be annoying:

    As the Deputy Chief of Mission at the US embassy in Baghdad during the Gulf War, he responded to Saddam Hussein threatening to execute anyone sheltering foreigners in Iraq by showing up at a press conference wearing a noose in place of his tie and declaring, 'If the choice is to allow American citizens to be taken hostage or to be executed, I will bring my own fucking rope.'
    Despite the threats, he sheltered over a hundred Americans at the embassy and helped thousands of people (both American and other nationalities) evacuate the country, earning praise from George H.W. Bush as 'a true American hero.'
    A week after his Times op-ed, Robert Novak outed his wife as a CIA employee, citing two Bush administration officials as his source -- what a coincidence!
    Chris Matthews told him, 'I just got off the phone with Karl Rove. He says, and I quote, 'Wilson's wife is fair game.' '

Credit: C. Fishel


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    In 2023, Out of 5 Votes: 80.0% Annoying
    In 2022, Out of 4 Votes: 25.00% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 10 Votes: 90.0% Annoying
    In 2020, Out of 4 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2019, Out of 53 Votes: 62.26% Annoying
    In 2018, Out of 15 Votes: 60.0% Annoying
    In 2017, Out of 18 Votes: 66.67% Annoying
    In 2016, Out of 3 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2015, Out of 8 Votes: 75.00% Annoying
    In 2014, Out of 13 Votes: 46.15% Annoying
    In 2013, Out of 11 Votes: 45.45% Annoying
    In 2012, Out of 89 Votes: 79.78% Annoying