Joseph C. Wilson facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Joseph C. Wilson
Wilson at Politicon 2018
United States Ambassador to Gabon and São Tomé and Príncipe
In office September 17, 1992 – August 5, 1995
Appointed by	George H. W. Bush
Preceded by	Keith Leveret Wauchope
Succeeded by	Elizabeth Raspolic
Personal details
Born	Joseph Charles Wilson IV (1949-11-06)November 6, 1949 Bridgeport, Connecticut, U.S.
Died	September 27, 2019(2019-09-27) (aged 69) Santa Fe, New Mexico, U.S.
Nationality	American
Spouses	Susan Otchis Wilson ​ ​ (m. 1974; div. 1986)​ Jacqueline Wilson ​ ​ (m. 1986; div. 1998)​ Valerie Plame ​ ​ (m. 1998; div. 2017)​
Children	4
Alma mater	University of California, Santa Barbara (B.A.)
Occupation	Strategic management consultant (1998–2019) Presidential Special Assistant and NSC Senior Director for African Affairs (1997–1998) Diplomat (1976–1998)

Joseph Charles Wilson IV (born November 6, 1949 – died September 27, 2019) was an American diplomat. He was well-known for a trip he took to Niger in 2002. His job was to check if Saddam Hussein was trying to buy a type of uranium called "yellowcake."

Later, Wilson wrote an article in New York Times called "What I Didn't Find in Africa." After this, some information about his wife, Valerie Plame, was shared with the public. She was a secret officer for the CIA, a US intelligence agency. This event caused a big discussion.

Early Life and School

Joseph C. Wilson IV was born in Bridgeport, Connecticut, on November 6, 1949. He grew up in California and Europe. His family was very proud to be Republican. They believed in public service.

Wilson's father was a Marine pilot in World War II. He barely survived a bombing on his ship, the USS Franklin.

In 1968, Wilson went to the University of California, Santa Barbara. He studied history and enjoyed playing volleyball and surfing. After graduating in 1972, he worked as a carpenter for five years. Later, he studied public administration. The Vietnam War protests in the late 1960s had a big impact on him.

Working as a Diplomat

Wilson could speak French very well. In 1976, he joined the US Foreign Service. This is where he worked as a diplomat until 1998.

From 1976 to 1998, he worked in five different African countries. His first job was in Niamey, Niger. There, he made sure things like power and cars worked.

From 1988 to 1991, he was a high-ranking diplomat at the US Embassy in Baghdad, Iraq. After Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait in 1990, Wilson was the last American diplomat to meet with him. Wilson told Saddam Hussein very clearly to leave Kuwait.

Wilson helped more than 100 Americans at the embassy. He also helped thousands of people from different countries leave Iraq safely. Because of his brave actions, President George H. W. Bush called him "a true American hero." From 1992 to 1995, Wilson was the US ambassador to Gabon and São Tomé and Príncipe.

From 1995 to 1997, Wilson worked as a political advisor in Germany. From 1997 until he retired in 1998, he helped guide US policy for Africa. He worked as a special assistant to President Bill Clinton.

After His Diplomatic Career

After leaving government work in 1998, Wilson started his own company. It was called JC Wilson International Ventures Corp. This company helped with international business and management. In 2007, he also became a vice chairman at Jarch Capital, LLC. He advised them on growing their business in parts of Africa that were "politically sensitive."

Wilson also gave talks and joined discussions. These events focused on business and politics in Africa. He also spoke about the CIA leak scandal.

Involvement in Politics

During his time as a diplomat, Wilson spent a year (1985–1986) working for Senator Al Gore and Representative Tom Foley. He later said that working for the Democratic Party was just by chance. This experience helped him get his job with President Bill Clinton in 1997–1998.

Over the years, Wilson gave money to political campaigns. He supported Democratic candidates like Senator Ted Kennedy. He also supported Republican Congressman Ed Royce. In 2000, he gave money to both Al Gore's and George W. Bush's presidential campaigns.

In 2003, Wilson supported John Kerry for president. He gave money to his campaign and helped write speeches. Wilson also supported Hillary Clinton in the 2008 US presidential election. He gave speeches for her and went to fundraisers. After the 2003 invasion of Iraq, Wilson supported groups that were against the war. He often spoke publicly and at universities about his views.

His Trip to Niger

In early 2002, the CIA asked Wilson to go to Niger. They wanted him to check if Saddam Hussein had bought a type of uranium called "yellowcake."

Wilson met with the US Ambassador to Niger. He also talked to many officials who were part of the Niger government when the supposed deal happened. After his investigation, Wilson decided that it was "highly doubtful that any such transaction had ever taken place."

Wilson found out that Iraq had asked for a meeting to talk about "expanding commercial relations." But Niger's Prime Minister, Mayaki, had said no. This was because of UN rules against Iraq.

"What I Didn't Find in Africa"

In 2003, President Bush gave a speech. In it, he said: "The British government has learned that Saddam Hussein recently sought significant quantities of uranium from Africa." This sentence became very famous.

In response, Wilson wrote an article for The New York Times on July 6, 2003. It was titled "What I Didn't Find in Africa." In the article, he said that based on his experience, he believed some information about Iraq's nuclear weapons was "twisted." He felt it was made to sound like a bigger threat than it was.

Wilson explained why he went to Niger. He said: "The vice president's office asked a serious question [about Iraq seeking uranium from Niger]. I was asked to help formulate the answer."

Government Reactions to His Story

The day after Wilson's article was published, Colin Powell spoke at a press conference. He said there was enough evidence at the time to believe the statement about uranium. But he added that after more checks, the information didn't hold up. He said they had admitted this and moved on.

On July 11, 2003, CIA director George Tenet said that President Bush and the Vice President were not told about Wilson's report. He said this was because the report "did not resolve whether Iraq was or was not seeking uranium from abroad." Tenet later wrote that Wilson's report "produced no solid answers."

There was a lot of disagreement about whether Wilson said the Vice President's office sent him to Niger. This idea seemed to bother I. Lewis Libby, an aide to the Vice President.

In a TV interview on July 6, 2003, Wilson stated: "The question was asked of the CIA by the office of the vice president. The office of the vice president, I am absolutely convinced, received a very specific response to the question it asked and that response was based upon my trip out there."

Revealing Valerie Plame's Identity

A week after Wilson's article came out, a writer named Robert Novak wrote a column. In it, he revealed that Wilson's wife, Valerie Plame, worked for the CIA. She was a secret agent.

Wilson and others said that this information was shared to make his report look bad. They believed it was done because his findings did not support the government's reasons for the 2003 invasion of Iraq. Wilson's claims led to a government investigation.

The investigation led to a trial for Lewis Libby. He was the former Chief of Staff for Vice President of the United States, Dick Cheney. Libby was found guilty of four charges. These charges were about making false statements and not cooperating with the investigation. He was sentenced to prison and a fine.

However, President Bush later changed Libby's prison sentence. He let the conviction and fine remain. Later, President Trump gave Libby a full pardon.

The Politics of Truth

In 2004, Wilson wrote a book called The Politics of Truth: Inside the Lies that Led to War and Betrayed My Wife's CIA Identity: A Diplomat's Memoir. The book talks about his work as a diplomat. It also shares details about his personal life and family. A big part of the book is about his experiences during the Valerie Plame affair.

Reactions to the Libby Trial

After Lewis Libby was found guilty in March 2007, the Wilsons released a statement. They said they respected the jury's decision. They also said they would continue their own civil lawsuit.

Wilson criticized President George W. Bush for changing Libby's prison sentence in July 2007. He called it "a cover-up" of the Vice President's role. Wilson also worried that this action could harm US national security.

Warner Bros. Movie

After the Libby trial verdict, Joseph C. Wilson announced that he and his wife had made a deal with Warner Bros in Hollywood. They would help make a movie about the Libby trial, their lives, and the CIA leak scandal.

The movie, Fair Game, came out on November 5, 2010. It starred Naomi Watts and Sean Penn. The film was based on two books, one written by Wilson and one by his wife.

Civil Lawsuit

On July 13, 2006, Joseph and Valerie Wilson filed a lawsuit. They sued Vice President Dick Cheney, his former Chief of Staff I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby, and top Presidential advisor Karl Rove. They claimed these officials were involved in revealing Valerie Wilson's secret CIA job. They later added Richard Armitage to the lawsuit.

Case Dismissed

A judge dismissed the Wilsons' lawsuit on July 19, 2007. The judge said the Wilsons had not shown that the case belonged in federal court. The judge also noted that government officials talking to the press to respond to criticism is part of their job.

Appeal

The Wilsons appealed the decision. On August 12, 2008, a panel of judges upheld the dismissal. The Wilsons' lawyers said they would ask a higher court to review the case. They also planned to appeal to the US Supreme Court.

On June 21, 2009, the U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear their appeal.

Personal Life and Death

Wilson's first marriage was to Susan Otchis in 1974. They had twins, Sabrina and Joseph V, in 1979. They divorced in 1986. Wilson married his second wife, Jacqueline, a French diplomat, in 1986. They divorced in 1998.

Wilson met Valerie Plame in 1997. They married in 1998. They had twins, Trevor and Samantha, in 2000. The family moved to Santa Fe, New Mexico, in 2006. Wilson and Plame divorced in 2017.

Wilson passed away at his home in Santa Fe on September 27, 2019. He died from organ failure.

Honors

Public Service Awards

• Secretary of State Distinguished Service Award
• Department of State Superior Honor Award
• Department of State Meritorious Honor Award
• University of California, Santa Barbara Distinguished Alumnus Award
• American Foreign Service Association William R. Rivkin Award (1987)

Decorations

• Commander in the Order of the Equatorial Star (Government of Gabon)
• Admiral in the El Paso Navy (El Paso County Commissioners)

Other Awards

• BuzzFlash Wings of Justice Award, shared with wife, Valerie Plame (2005).
• Ron Ridenhour Award for Truth-Telling (from the Fertel Foundation and The Nation Institute, Oct. 2003)

See also

• Downing Street memo
• Iraqi aluminum tubes
• Niger uranium forgeries